What are the Northern Lights and how can you see them?

People across the UK have been treated to a spectacularly colourful display this weekend, as the aurora borealis lit up the night's sky.

The Northern Lights, as they're also known, have been turning the sky shades of green and pink in parts of the country.

What's more, weather experts say they're set to continue for the next couple of days.

But what causes the Northern Lights and how best can you see them? Keep reading to find out.

Let us know in the comments below if you're planning on spotting them, or if you've ever seen them before..

The Northern Lights are caused by activity on the sun, when electrically charged particles sometimes reach Earth and react with gases in our atmosphere creating amazing colours.

These energetic particles that have erupted from the Sun can travel millions of miles.

When they collide with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen in our upper atmosphere, these atoms become energised, too.

When this happens, they release energy as light.

According to the Met Office - oxygen produces green and, at higher altitudes, red light, while nitrogen creates blue and purple hues.

This is what creates the colours we see in the sky.

Don't worry if you missed this weekend's colourful displays, as the Met Office - the UK's national weather service - said sightings could happen during clear skies until Tuesday.

Forecaster Greg Dewhurt explained: "They could be a little weaker tonight (Sunday), so most likely seen across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England.

"They may be a little stronger again on Monday night so could be seen further south into central areas."

The phenomenon is most visible in the time around the equinoxes in spring and autumn.

The Northern Lights can only be seen during darker evening hours and, unlike the Sun, are safe to look at with the naked eye.

However, you might be able to see more colourful and vivid displays if you watch through a phone camera, because cameras on devices are able to view more light than the human eye.

In order to see the multicolour light show, you'll have to wait until quite late at night, usually from 9pm onwards - so make sure to ask a parent or guardian if you can stay up.

You want the sky to be as clear as possible - if there are clouds, it may obscure your view.

The further away you can be from artificial lights the better, as light pollution can also make the Northern Lights harder to spot.

And, as the name suggests, you should face north when trying to look for them.