Celebrate the northern lights in the UK with these beautiful images

Oooooo so pretty.

The mesmerising northern lights made an appearance Wednesday evening in the northern parts of Scotland and England.

Social media flooded with pictures of the beautiful light show, which scientists say could become a less frequent sight in the UK.

In an interview with the BBC, Mathew Owens of Reading University said the sun's cyclical activity could be heading toward its lowest period of activity in 300 years.

"If so, the northern lights phenomenon would become a natural show exclusive to the polar regions, due to a lack of solar wind forces that often make it visible at lower latitudes," said Owens.

If you’re worried about missing out on the northern lights altogether, don’t worry. While the sight will probably be less frequent in the UK during the minimum period of solar activity, it won’t be gone forever. Though fewer and further between, we can hope for the odd aurora display during the low period — which you should savor all the more.

To tide you over until next time, here are some of the best northern lights photos from around the UK.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
The Northern Lights will be visible in the U.S. tonight. Here's how to view it.
19 January 2026, Brandenburg, Lietzen: Northern lights shine in the night sky over the landscape in eastern Brandenburg.

I guessed the Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Prism would be cool, but not this cool
the Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Prism outside under a roof eve

How to watch Italy vs. Northern Ireland online for free
Trai Hume of Northern Ireland celebrates

Grok blocks X users from creating images of real people in ‘revealing clothing’
Grok, xAI's chatbot.

X reportedly still allows Grok-created, sexualized images despite new ban
Grok logo on smartphone

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!