These photos of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, were taken from Preachers Camp landing at Beltzville.

The lights were visible throughout the United States, thanks to the biggest solar flare of the year. According to NASA, auroras are brilliant ribbons of light weaving across Earth’s northern or southern polar regions.

These natural light shows are caused by magnetic storms that have been triggered by solar activity, such as solar flares (explosions on th sun) or coronal mass ejections (ejected gas bubbles). Energetic charged particles from these events are carried from the sun by the solar wind. The lights are expected to be visible again tonight. People reported in with photos throughout the region, from Bowmanstown to Effort, to Summit Hill. LYNN SHUPP/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS