Not exactly Northern Lights: Sky blazes purple over Maldon in Essex in ultra-rare southern solar lightshow
These are the stunning images of the Northern Lights caught making a very rare appearance above the Essex skyline.
The phenomenon, where charged particles from the sun cause the sky to blaze green and red is more normally seen further north in Norway or the North of Scotland.
Residents near the town of Maldon were treated to the night time spectacular which is very rarely seen anywhere in the South of England.
Purple haze: Residents near the town of Maldon were treated to the night time spectacular which is very rarely seen anywhere in the South of England
A map by America's 'space weather' agency' showing geomagnetic latitudes: Northern lights displays as far south as Maldon are extremely rare
The dazzling night show was captured by amateur photographer Peter Scott who carefully positioned himself at Heybridge Basin, just outside of the town.
The night time display comes about when charged particles from the sun combine with the earth's magnetic field creating bursts of light.
It's the different types of gases found at different attitudes which causes the range on colours to appear. Green lights are the most common - and purple aurorae are caused by high-altitude nitrogen atoms.
Peter, 43, managed to capture the images on his Canon DSLR 5D camera after spending 30 minutes searching for the darkest place he could find to position himself for the best picture.
The best colours are usually seen during late autumn and winter but heavy snowfall in Norway can reduce the chances of getting glimpses of the lights.
Peter said: 'I wasn't expecting to see so much, it really was a big flare and I know I won't see anything like that again in my life time. To get the light so strong was unbelievable especially when it's extremely rare to even see the lights this far South.
It's really important to get the right exposure and white balance and that takes a lot of time but I try to get it right when I'm out on the field so there's less work to do afterwards. Looking back at the pictures now makes me feel really happy with how they've turned out and I feel quite smug with my work.'
Fire in the sky: Different colours of aurorae are caused by different gases - and purple ones are created by high-altitude nitrogen
Southern lights: The sky phenomena are more commonly seen over Scotland or Norway
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Mwangaza wa Kaskazini: Anga la Maldon katika Essex linaangaza kwa rangi ya zambarau katika maonyesho ya jua ya kusini ya ajabu, na picha za kushangaza za Mwangaza wa Kaskazini zimepigwa na kuonekana juu ya upeo wa Essex. Mlipuko huo, ambapo chembechembe zenye nishati kutoka jua husababisha anga kuwa na rangi ya kijani na nyekundu, unaonekana zaidi kaskazini mwa Norway au Kaskazini mwa Scotland. Wakazi wa Maldon walionekana na maonyesho ya usiku ambayo ni nadra sana kuona mahali popote kusini mwa Uingereza. "Map ya ""space weather agency"" ya Marekani yanaonyesha latitudo za geomagnetic: Northern Lights inaonyesha kusini mbali kama Maldon ni nadra sana. ""The dazzling night show was captured by amateur photographer Peter Scott who carefully positioned himself at Heybridge Basin, just outside the town." Wakati wa usiku, chembechembe za jua huungana na sumaku ya dunia na kutokeza mwangaza. Ni aina tofauti za gesi zilizopatikana katika mitazamo tofauti ambayo husababisha mbalimbali juu ya rangi kuonekana. Taa za kijani-kibichi ndizo za kawaida zaidi - na aurora za zambarau husababishwa na atomu za nitrojeni zilizo juu sana. Peter, 43, aliweza kupiga picha hizo kwa kamera yake ya Canon DSLR 5D baada ya kutumia dakika 30 akitafuta mahali pa giza zaidi ambapo angeweza kupata nafasi bora ya kupiga picha. Rangi bora ni kawaida kuonekana wakati wa mwishoni mwa vuli na majira ya baridi lakini theluji nzito katika Norway inaweza kupunguza nafasi ya kupata glimpses ya taa. "Peter alisema: ""Sikutarajia kuona mengi sana, kwa kweli ilikuwa ni mwangaza mkubwa na najua sitakuona kitu kama hicho tena katika maisha yangu." Kuona mwanga huo kwa nguvu hivyo ilikuwa ya kushangaza hasa wakati ni nadra sana hata kuona taa hizi mbali Kusini. Ni muhimu sana kupata mwangaza sahihi na usawa mweupe na hiyo inachukua muda mwingi lakini mimi hujaribu kupata haki wakati mimi ni nje ya uwanja hivyo kuna kazi kidogo ya kufanya baada ya hapo. Kuangalia nyuma kwenye picha sasa hunifanya nijihisi mwenye furaha sana na jinsi zilivyotokea na nahisi mwenye kujivunia sana na kazi yangu.' "Mara nyingi, watu wengi huona moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto wa moto."""