Look at the North East sky being lit up by an incredible Northern Lights and meteor display

CREDIT TOM WRIGHT
Lindisfarne Castle lit by the Aurora, the Milkyway and a shooting star from the Perseids meteor shower. Credit: Tom Wright

Landmarks across the North East were given a spectacular backdrop in the sky as stargazers got a glimpse of the Northern Lights and a meteor shower.

Lindisfarne Castle, on Holy Island, and Dunstanburgh Castle, both in Northumberland, were among the monuments to be lit up on Monday night (12 August).

The aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, put on a stunning display, made even more incredible as the Perseid meteor shower passed through the sky.

Philip Rowden travelled from South Shields to Dunstanburgh to witness the phenomenon. Credit: Philip Rowden

In Northumberland, the shooting stars from the Perseid meteor shower were seen darting through hues of purple and green over the Bathing House in Howick.

Aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, fill the sky over The Bathing House in Howick, Northumberland in August Credit: Owen Humphreys/PA

The Northern Lights are best seen in dark areas of northern England, but can be seen in a variety of places if there are certain weather conditions such as a strong geomagnetic storm.

This weather map shows the geomagnetic energy during the night of Monday 12 August. Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

Aurora is caused by charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field. The colour display depends in part on what molecules the charged particles interact with.

Steetley Pier Hartlepool Credit: Liam Dobson

Combined with the clear skies, it meant people were were also able to witness the Perseids.

A lone fisherman under the northern lights at East Sea Sands, Newbiggin by the Sea. Credit: Carole-Ann Pouton

The event is associated with the dusty debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun once every 133 years.

The meteoroids from the comet, mostly no bigger than a grain of sand, burn up as they hit the Earth’s atmosphere at 36 miles per second, to produce a shooting stream of light in the sky.

Purple's and green's illuminate the sky over Weardale. Credit: David Dunn

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