This is the astonishing moment spectacular auroras were seen in the night sky over China as a powerful solar storm hit Earth.

A colourful aurora illuminated the cloudy night skies over several cities as a potent solar storm struck China on March 24.

Footage shows vibrant colours of green, red, purple, and blue flashes in the sky, resembling a rave party in the clouds in Datong and Hanzhong, Shaanxi province.

According to scientists, the phenomenon followed an outburst from a solar flare, which provided excellent viewing of the northern and southern lights.

The fastest-moving solar storm in nearly six years caused a disturbance in the planet's magnetic field.

The U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center said: 'A geomagnetic storm on the sun's surface is expected to arrive at Earth late on March 24 to 25.'

They also cautioned the public that the storm might disrupt power networks and satellites but assured that there was no need to worry.

The sun's magnetic field flips cause the changes in solar activity every 11 years.

Experts say the sun is in its most active phase, known as the solar maximum.

An aurora, also known as the northern or southern lights depending on the hemisphere, is a natural light display predominantly seen in the high-latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic.

A solar storm is a temporary disturbance in the Sun's atmosphere that sends out a stream of energetic particles and radiation towards Earth.

These storms can have a variety of effects on our planet, including disrupting radio communications, damaging satellites, causing power outages and creating beautiful auroras.