A FOUR Marks photographer took an unexpected picture in Four Marks on Sunday night when she captured a rare glimpse of the Aurora Borealis.

According to Amber Wright, 34, who runs WOW Photography, it is rare to see such a display of the Northern Lights this far south in the UK, but a big solar storm had resulted in the Kp rating (scale of geomagnetic activity) being so high that the dancing lights were visible, not to the naked eye but via the lens of a camera.

Always awestruck by the Aurora Borealis, Amber took her chance and was successful in taking some amazing pictures.

It was a real coup for the wedding photographer, who has lived in the villages surrounding Alton all her life and has run her own business since 2009. Fiance Martin Jacobs has for the past two years been a regional finalist in the best wedding category of The Wedding Industry Awards.

The couple are also recommended photographers by Chawton House Library, The Long Barn at Newton Valence, and Stanstead Park.

She said: “I have always been artistic and fascinated by nature and astronomy. Both Martin and I have always been totally awestruck by the beautiful Aurora Borealis but up until now haven’t managed to see it. When we aren’t working we love being outdoors and travel to Scotland to climb mountains and enjoy the great outdoors.

“Our most recent visit was full of promise that we would see the Aurora, with it being visible up until the night before our stay there. With that in mind we went as far north as you can get and even spent a night on top of a mountain in the hope that we could see it, but sadly it didn’t appear.

“I never for one moment expected that I would get to see it for the first time from my front door!”

Amber continued: “The lights were not visible by eyesight but the camera captured them beautifully.”

She explained that a big solar storm during the week had resulted in a Kp rating high enough for it to be visible over the majority of the UK.

“I only found out about it late on Sunday night, so I grabbed the camera and set it up and, with fingers crossed, clicked away, hoping that I would get something. Strangely enough, after seeing two beautiful shooting stars, it was confirmed by a meteorologist on twitter that I was indeed capturing the Aurora.

“According to the Aurora Service website, it is very rare to see the Aurora this far south and only happens a couple of times a decade.”

She added: “It has been my dream to see the Aurora Borealis for years, but I had been unlucky until Sunday night. What a fantastic start to the Christmas week!”