LONDON — Sky gazers from across the UK are posting photos they snapped Wednesday night during a breathtaking display of the northern lights, otherwise known as the aurora borealis.

SEE ALSO: The northern lights might put on a serious show tonight

The spectacle is caused by charged solar particles interacting with the Earth's magnetic field and is usually only visible in the UK from the far north of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

If you're north of the yellow line, you may be able to see the northern lights in the next few hours - cloud cover permitting. Look north! pic.twitter.com/EBxC6hG2eQ — Liam Dutton (@liamdutton) October 26, 2016

Largest coronal hole so far this solar cycle means a chance to see the #aurora this week. Clear spells for E Scot and NE Eng tonight pic.twitter.com/TBvbDDwpl4 — Met Office (@metoffice) October 26, 2016

However, the Earth is currently being slammed by fast-particles shot out by the sun and that means the northern lights were visible further south, in Devon for example, despite the haze.

Usually, the northern lights stay pretty close to the poles, but during a solar storm — also known as a geomagnetic storm — the lights can be visible in lower latitudes due to the way the storm perturbs Earth's magnetic field.

Here are some of the most stunning pictures taken by aurora watchers in the UK:

Lucky enough to get a break in the clouds earlier for a glimpse of the #aurora from the North Yorks/Durham border #NorthernLights @metoffice pic.twitter.com/u2yWAVC5NZ — PAUL KINGSTON 🌨☀️⛈✨ (@PaulKingstonNNP) October 27, 2016

A couple of beams from the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis appear in the sky over St Mary's Island near Whitley Bay, Northumberland. Image: PA Wire/PA Images

Photo - A slight hint of Aurora seen from Cley beach last night before the clouds rolled in @EDP24 @aurorawatchuk @aurorawatchuk #aurora pic.twitter.com/aVQ4y3U7rl — Matthew Usher (@MatthewUsher) October 27, 2016

Northern Lights in northern Scotland, October 26, 2016 pic.twitter.com/jw4bzBhedh — The Traveler (@TheTravelerLive) October 27, 2016