The colourful display, seen several times already this year, danced across the skies of Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, north and east Dorset on Monday night, August 12. 

Photographers and residents in the county have sent in their pictures of the Northern Lights. 

Over Wimborne  (Image: Simon Hollosi)

Over Verwood (Image: Jeff Boxall)

Over Dorset (Image: Katiuzca Chavez)

Aurora Borealis around the farmer’s field in Blandford Forum (Image: Ming Mok)

Aurora Borealis around the farmer’s field in Blandford Forum (Image: Ming Mok)

Amazing display of Aurora Borealis along with Perside Meteor shower over the New Forest from 12.03 until 4am (Image: Hang Ross)

The Northern Lights are caused by charged particles from the sun hitting gases in the Earth's atmosphere. 

The colours occur due to different gases in the Earth's atmosphere being energised by the charged particles. 

Nitrogen and oxygen are the two most common gases in the atmosphere, with nitrogen emitting purple, blue and pink colours and oxygen emitting green. 

Why have Aurora Borealis sightings increased this year? 

In short Aurora Borealis sightings have increased in recent years and the explanation is well known in the science community, according to the Met Office. 

Krista Hammond, a manager at the Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre (MOSWOC), said: “Activity on the sun, and in particular the number of visible sunspots, varies over roughly an 11-year period, known as the solar cycle.”