Here are some shots of the spectacular sights of stunning colours which the Northern Lights brought to the skies of West Devon last night.

The overnight skies of Thursday into Friday showcased the Aurora borealis (or Northern Lights) for residents, some of whom made special trips to the darker parts of the area to get stunning views unhindered by street or traffic lights and were rewarded with deep hues of red/purple and green with shades in between.

The auroras, which are most commonly seen over high polar latitudes but can spread south, are chiefly influenced by geomagnetic storms that originate from activity on the sun.

Sunspots give the potential for Earth-directed releases of large bursts of energy called coronal mass ejections, which can lead to aurora visibility.

Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles. As they collide, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colourful displays in the sky.

Debbie Desmond's lovely shot of the Northern Lights.
Debbie Desmond's lovely shot of the Northern Lights. (Debbie Desmond)
Debbie Desmond's atmospheric view of the Northern Lights.
Debbie Desmond's atmospheric view of the Northern Lights. (Debbie Desmond)
Ruby Montgomery captured this stunning view of the aurora over Tavistock.
Ruby Montgomery captured this stunning view of the aurora over Tavistock. (Ruby Montgomery)
Mary-Ann Farrington's view of the Northern Lights at Mill Hill, near Tavistock.
Mary-Ann Farrington's view of the Northern Lights at Mill Hill, near Tavistock. (Mary-Ann Farrington)
Lyndsey Cudmore's atmospheric Northern Lights scene at the golf club.
Lyndsey Cudmore's atmospheric Northern Lights scene over Tavistock Golf Club (Lyndsey Cudmore)
Lyndsey Cudmore's colourful photo of the Northern Lights at Tavistock Golf ClubJPG
Lyndsey Cudmore's colourful photo of the Northern Lights at Tavistock Golf Club (Lyndsey Cudmore)
Lyndsey Cudmore's amazing photo of the Northern Lights on Whitchurch Down, Tavistock, on Thursday night/Friday morning last week..
Lyndsey Cudmore's amazing photo of the Northern Lights on Whitchurch Down, Tavistock, on Thursday night/Friday morning last week.. (Lyndsey Cudmore)