KEEN photographer Paul Mortimer took this photo this morning (July 26) of the Northern Lights over York.

Paul, who has lived in York all his life and runs a tattoo studio in Osbaldwick, was out at about at 3am and spotted the light show low in the sky.

“I have now captured Aurora every month in the UK for the last two years, this morning’s photo of Aurora made it my 24th continuous month of Aurora sightings in the UK/York,” said Paul.

“Little do most folk realise but the UK actually has a 12 month Aurora season unlike Sweden, Norway, Iceland and the Arctic regions. I catch Aurora at least once per month from York or nearby in Yorkshire.”

The lights, or Aurora Borealis, appear when atoms in the Earth's high-altitude atmosphere collide with energetic charged particles from the sun.

Paul said he has been fascinated with the aurora ever since he saw his first one on a trip to Norway and the Arctic circle back in 2016. He and wife, Hilary, regularly go out to Iceland to photograph the magical spectacle and document it on their Instagram page: thefearlessaurorahunters.

Paul MortimerPaul Mortimer