28 February 2023 , 11:16
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An easyJet pilot tweaked his flight route so that passengers could get an 'incredible' view of the Northern Lights as they appeared over the UK this week.
The Met Office had alerted Brits that on Monday the Northern Lights would be visible from northern areas of England - further south than the usual UK destinations where you can see the Aurora Borealis.
The easyJet pilot flying from Reykjavik back to Manchester decided to turn 360 degrees over the ocean so that all passengers on board could view the spectacular phenomenon, reports Manchester Evening News.
Travellers were treated to breathtaking views of the green, purple and pink streaks across the sky on Monday.
One passenger onboard was photographer Adam Groves, who was returning from a weekend away in Iceland where he had proposed to his girlfriend.
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The Northern Lights appeared over the UK this week (David Wilkinson / SWNS)He told Manchester Evening News: "We had been half expecting them as the aurora forecast was high, but low cloud cover in Iceland over the past week meant we didn’t see them from land. We were hoping to see them while we were out there but didn’t get the chance.
"We took off and half way into the flight the pilot turned all the lights off and the view was out the left window. We were sat on the right hand side and after two to three minutes the pilot switched back and did a 360 loop around for everyone to see."
Adam also shared a series of gorgeous photos taken from the plane cabin, to give a glimpse of the views passengers enjoyed.
While it's rare for the Northern Lights to appear over the UK, it has been known to happen. The Scottish countryside tends to be one of the best places to see the Aurora, thanks to its northern location and remote landscapes which are relatively unaffected by light pollution.
Caithness, the Isle of Skye, and Aberdeenshire are amongst some of the beautiful spots from which sightings have been reported.
Of course if you're keen to tick the Aurora off the bucket list, there are plenty of amazing locations around the world - but you'll want to head to some of the best countries for the Northern Lights such as Iceland or Canada, to give yourself the best possible chance to see them!
The best season tends to be between early November through to late March, but there are some destinations such as Greenland and Sweden where you might get a glimpse during September/October.
Have you seen the Northern Lights? Let us know in the comments below!