Stargazers in North Wales could be in for a treat tonight after the sun unleashed a massive solar flare, spawning stunning auroras that will be visible in northern skies.

Those in high-altitude regions will have the best chance of spotting the impressive Northern Lights displays, which could be visible from more locations than usual.

Experts say the flare - a sudden flash of brightness observed near the sun’s surface, which often leads to spectacular Northern Light - may push the spectacle into regions that rarely witness it tonight and through into tomorrow.

Dr Nathan Case from Aurora Watch UK said: “The displays last night were driven by a coronial mass ejection (CME) - a blast of charged particles from the sun.

“It’s the biggest flare we’ve seen in the last 12 years and we expect the auroras to still be visible in the skies tonight.

“The best places to see them is somewhere dark, away from town lights, somewhere there’s no cloud or rain about.

“Good places to go are places with a good view of the northern horizon such as beaches and hills.

“The issue last night was that it was very cloudy on the west coast and in Wales but, if there are clear skies tonight, people in North Wales will be in with a good chance.”

The Aurora Borealis occurs when electrically charged particles from the sun enter the earth’s atmosphere and let out burning gases, which produce different coloured lights.

The two solar flares were unleashed early on Wednesday morning, the second of which was classed as an X9.3 flare - the largest we’ve seen in the current solar cycle, which began in December 2008.