In pictures: Northern lights in southern England caught on camera

Video caption, Mary McIntyre captured this beautiful image of the sky over Tackley in Oxfordshire

The northern lights provided an impressive display in the skies above the south of England overnight on Sunday.

An aurora is formed by a solar flare erupting on the Sun, sending charged particles towards Earth which interact with our atmosphere.

The most vibrant display was across Scotland and northern England where the aurora was made up of bright greens and deep reds.

But it is seldom seen in southern England.

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Pictures taken by members of the public and 大象传媒 Weather Watchers captured the light phenomenon as far south as Oxfordshire, Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

A Met Office spokesperson said the rare sightings were due to the "strength" of a geomagnetic storm and the "strip of cloudless skies".

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Image source, 大象传媒 Weather Watcher Mary McIntyre

Image caption, More displays are expected on Monday night where skies remain clear, according to the Met Office

Image source, Mark Cooper

Image caption, Mark Cooper took this picture in Freshwater on the Isle of Wight on Sunday shortly before 22:00

Image source, Gavin Jones

Image caption, Gavin Jones watched the display from Witney, Oxfordshire

Image source, Gareth Lloyd

Image caption, Gareth Lloyd managed to capture the display with his mobile phone over Wareham

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Image source, Richard Barnes-Willis

Image caption, The lights creating a colourful night sky in Bursledon in this picture taken by Richard Barnes-Willis

Image source, Karen Foulkes

Image caption, Karen Foulkes managed to get a snap of the display in the night sky above Curdridge, Hampshire

All pictures subject to copyright.

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