9 October 2012 Last updated at 14:14

Aurora Borealis over Cumbria and Durham in pictures

The Aurora Borealis, true to its common name of Northern Lights, has been lighting up the north of England's skies. Here are some of your pictures. Jon Cooper said he had such a good view of the lights over the Eden Valley, Cumbria, that he did not need to leave his patio.

Eruptions from the sun, called coronal mass ejections, throw particles and solar radiation towards the earth. The interaction between these and the earth's magnetic field causes them to glow.

Adrian Strand captured the Aurora over Whitehaven harbour in the early hours of the morning, the seventh time he has seen it over Cumbria. He thinks Twitter is the best aurora-watchers' early-warning system.

Jon Cooper said he had stayed up all night to take pictures of the Aurora Borealis over Shap in Cumbria. He said: "It has grown into a bit of a hobby, especially since this winter is the peak of an 11-year solar cycle making it especially good for auroras."

The Aurora Borealis, created by solar activity, is more often seen in the north of the UK than the south. Chris Walker caught sight of this one from Caldwell, County Durham.

Jon Cooper said he had seen seven performances of the Northern Lights over Cumbria this year alone. You can send your pictures to neandcumbria@bbc.co.uk.

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Aurora Borealis over Cumbria and Durham in pictures

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