BEAUTIFUL images of the Northern Lights have been captured by householders in the area.

The aurora borealis, which is seen most often in regions near the North Pole, has been spotted by individuals in places including Stroud, Malmesbury and Cirencester.

It isn’t the first time the Northern Lights have been spotted in the UK this year.

What’s more, the sun has now entered its period of greatest activity, which means Britons could be seeing more colourful displays of the aurora borealis until the middle of next year.

Our home star typically follows an 11-year-cycle, with periods of intense activity followed by a quiet phase.

During its active bursts, also known as solar maximum, the sun releases charged particles that travel through space at speeds of around 1 million miles per hour.

Some of the particles are captured by the Earth’s magnetic field and collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms and molecules in the atmosphere.

These atoms and molecules then shed the energy they gained from the collision, emitting light at various wavelengths to create colourful displays in the night sky.

According to Nasa, oxygen emits either a greenish-yellow light - which is the most familiar colour of the aurora - or a red light, while nitrogen generally gives off a blue light.

The oxygen and nitrogen molecules also emit ultraviolet light, which can only be detected by special cameras on satellites.

Photos of the dazzling natural phenomenon were captured across England, Scotland and Ireland on the night of Thursday, October 10.

The current peak is expected to until mid-2025, according to the Royal Astronomical Society.

After that, aurora displays will only be visible in high-latitude countries such as Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Scandinavia, Finland and Russia.

The southern lights, or aurora australis, can be observed in Antarctica, New Zealand and Australia.