In Pictures | Northern Lights: sightings across Europe

Northern Lights | The most powerful solar storm in more than two decades struck Earth on May 10, triggering spectacular celestial light shows across the Northern hemisphere.

The most powerful solar storm in more than two decades struck Earth on May 10, triggering spectacular celestial light shows from Tasmania to Britain - and threatening possible disruptions to satellites and power grids as it persists into the weekend.

The first of several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) - expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun - came just after 1600 GMT, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)‘s Space Weather Prediction Center.

It was later upgraded to an “extreme” geomagnetic storm - the first since the “Halloween Storms” of October 2003 caused blackouts in Sweden and damaged power infrastructure in South Africa. More CMEs are expected to pummel the planet in the coming days.

Social media lit up with people posting pictures of auroras from northern Europe and Australasia.

- AP