Northern Lights visible over Ireland tonight

The Northern Lights were visible across Ireland, with many people taking to social media to share photos of the atmospheric phenomenon.

Pink and green illuminations have been recorded lighting up the night sky above many regions of the country, as ideal geomagnetic and weather conditions bring the lights into view.

The UK Met Office reported that a "coronal mass ejection from the sun" was earth bound making sightings of the Aurora Borealis likely across northern areas of the UK.

Astronomy Ireland also took to social media to encourage followers to look to the skies tonight.

Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere around the magnetic poles.