Photos from across the globe show spectacular displays of the aurora borealis

A rare solar storm illuminated the evening skies on Friday, with neon rays of magenta, green and blue beaming across much of the northern hemisphere.

Skywatchers gathered to witness and snap photos of the aurora borealis, typically only visible in high north latitudes. This time, however, it stretched as far south as Louisiana due to the supercharge of some intense sun eruptions.

On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its first severe geomagnetic storm warning since 2005, serving as a heads-up about Friday's skylight show.

Here is what the aurora looked like around the world: