The Northern Lights were spotted over North Yorkshire last night (September 19).

Displays were photographed over Scarborough.

The phenomenon, also called the aurora borealis, happens when the sun releases streams of charged particles known as ‘solar wind’, which interact with the Earth’s magnetic field and different elements in its atmosphere.

Darlington and Stockton Times: The Northern Lights over Scarborough last night

During this interaction, the charged particles meet gases in our atmosphere, energise them, and cause them to emit photons of light.

yan Swain, from Norton, pictured the displays out to the coast from Scarborough at around 9pm.

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He said: “The aurora borealis in Scarborough last night, we took the kids to see it and had a hot chocolate.”

Last night’s display followed sightings of the Northern Lights last Tuesday (September 12).

Darlington and Stockton Times: The Northern Lights on the Yorkshire coast pictured by Paul Mortimer on September 12The Northern Lights on the Yorkshire coast pictured by Paul Mortimer on September 12 (Image: Paul Mortimer)

Keen photographer Paul Mortimer captured last week’s displays.

Paul, who has lived in York all his life and runs a tattoo studio in Osbaldwick, photographed displays on the Yorkshire at Bempton, Cayton Bay, Flamborough, as well as in York, Malton, Filey and Flaxton.