auroral

The aurora is always present around the North and South Poles - this is known as the auroral ring.

The dark ovals, when seen, are almost always located just below the bright auroral zones at each pole, which are akin to Earth's northern and southern lights.

Called the Carrington Event, it triggered intense auroral light shows and knocked out telegraph lines across the globe.

That means “enhanced auroral visibility is possible further south across central England and similar latitudes, though cloud and rain could hamper viewing potential for some,” says Krista Hammond.

Skies as far south as Cornwall were lit up by the auroral display.