The Northern Lights could be visible across Northern Ireland on Thursday night, according to the Met Office. The forecast follows a series of solar flares that erupted from the Sun earlier this week.

NASA reported three flares, including one on Wednesday classified as the most intense type. Such events can release bursts of plasma and magnetic fields toward Earth, which can disrupt radio communications and electrical grids but also produce displays of the aurora borealis.

A Met Office statement said the auroral oval is expected to become active later Thursday evening, with aurora likely to be seen in Scotland and Northern Ireland. There is also a small chance of sightings from northern England. The display may continue into Friday.

The US Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a strong geomagnetic storm watch for Thursday and Friday. Three coronal mass ejections are predicted to interact with Earth, and depending on the orientation of their magnetic fields, they could produce strong storm conditions.

Auroras occur when charged particles from the Sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere, creating colourful light displays in the sky. Clear skies away from light pollution offer the best viewing conditions.