Stargazers across the UK were spellbound by spectacular views of the Northern Lights on Friday night – but one unlucky couple wasn’t so lucky.
TikTok user @paakz excitedly filmed himself and a friend walking through the streets of Norwich after spotting the telltale purple illuminations in the sky.
The duo were clearly excited at the prospect of seeing the famous Aurora Borealis, which was visible across the UK thanks to a rare “extreme” geomagnetic storm.
But they were soon disappointed to realize that the “lights” in the distance were actually the distinctive purple glow of a nearby Premier Inn.
Take TikTok in a video which has already been viewed almost six million times, at first they gasped: ‘Oh my God!’ as they witnessed the rays of light radiating across the night sky.
A TikTok user in Norwich was left disappointed after an ‘Aurora Borealis’ sighting turned out to be a Premier Inn.
But arriving at the hotel entrance on Duke Street in the city centre, they said: ‘We thought the Premier Inn was the Northern Lights.
They have deceived us! How have they deceived us? We thought they were the northern lights! “It’s a fucked up building.”
Viewers couldn’t contain their laughter at the hilarious mishap and wrote: ‘No, I’m dead’;
‘the fact that it’s Norwich makes this 10,000% better’;
‘the sheer emotion and not being able to speak at first, to the utter disappointment’;
‘I’m crying’;
‘The man at the Premier Inn thinks they’re summoning Batman’;
‘The same thing happened to me with Asda’;
‘This is more commonly known as the “Premier Lights” phenomenon. It happens once a night. Super cool to see.’
The duo had seen a telltale purple glow in the sky on Friday night, when thousands of people witnessed the spectacular Northern Lights.
The hilarious video has gone viral with almost six million views and counting.
A Premier Inn spokesperson said: “There’s no need to search the sky, Premier Inn is a beacon of light and can bring the glow of Auora straight to your room, without needing a camera to see it.”
“Rest easy under the enchanting purple glow of our illuminated headboards, knowing you can experience this wonder every night of the year from the luxury of one of our comfortable beds.”
Bands of pink and green light were seen across the UK and parts of Europe on Friday night after an “extreme” geomagnetic storm made them more visible, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (NOAA).
The geomagnetic storm was the first to hit Earth in nearly 20 years, making it incredibly rare and sparking a nationwide frenzy to capture a photo of the event.
Striking shades of green and purple have been captured in skies across the UK, including Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Tyne and Wear, Essex, Berkshire and Kent.
However, when stargazers came out to see the spectacle again on Saturday night, they were disappointed, even though experts said they would be visible again.
TINO AND WEAR: The Northern Lights, also known as the Northern Lights, shine on the horizon at St Mary’s Lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the north east coast
NORTHERN IRELAND: An incredible Northern Lights display in Dunseverick, County Antrim
EDINBURGH: A stunning view of the Northern Lights over the National Monument of Scotland in Edinburgh
LIVERPOOL: The Northern Lights shine on the horizon of Anthony Gormley’s Another Place sculpture on Crosby Beach in Liverpool
A severe geomagnetic storm warning (G4) was issued on Thursday for the first time since January 2005.
And the Met Office predicted stargazers as far south as Cornwall could catch a glimpse of the light show.
Met Office head of space weather Krista Hammond told MailOnline on Friday: “While the short nights at this time of year will limit the visibility window, if conditions are suitable there is a good chance of sightings on Friday the night”.
“Aurora visibility may persist into Saturday night, but as it stands it is likely to be less widespread than Friday night and northern parts of the UK will likely continue to have the best viewing potential.”