The Aurora Borealis - better known as the Northern Lights - has been giving rare and spectacular displays over parts of the UK, from the north of Scotland to as far south as Essex and Gloucestershire.
BBC News website readers photographed the best displays across Northern Ireland.

The aurora, also known as the Northern Lights, was observed at different points with some spectacular photos being captured. Photographic agency Pacemaker took this shot of the display over Portstewart harbour.

The natural light display appears particularly in high latitude regions - usually in places closer to the north and south magnetic poles than Northern Ireland. Desmond Loughrey took this shot of the lights over Limavady, County Londonderry.

The light is caused by the collision of energetic particles streaming out of the sun and colliding with atoms high up in our atmosphere. Photographer Deirdre Gregg took this shot of the display over Dunluce Castle in County Antrim.

Martina Gardiner was also at Dunluce Castle on the Antrim coast and captured this colourful image.

Ken Cox was also out chasing the display at Dunluce, photographing the eerie skies over the Atlantic Ocean.

These ''geomagnetic storms'' may extend towards the Earth's surface and when that happens we see the diffuse glow of the aurora. The lights give photographers like Paul Martin the opportunity to capture the colourful skies over Beaghmore, County Tyrone.

Photographer and amateur astronomer Martin McKenna, from Maghera, who often goes searching for the aurora, captured this stunning image of the display also over the Beaghmore stone circles in Cookstown, County Tyrone.

In Carnlough, County Antrim, photographer Bernie McAllister captured a shooting star in the sky with the Northern Lights over the harbour village.

Jim Crawford caught the lights shining over Magilligan, County Londonderry.

Finally, the MacLochlainn family from Donegal took this family portrait of the lights in the north west.
Weather presenter Barra Best explains whether we will see the Northern Lights again on Friday
If you have pictures of the Northern Lights, please send them to nipics@bbc.co.uk - See bbc.co.uk/terms for full details.