In pictures: the Guildhall ‘Borealis’ lights look incredibly relaxing

Ever wish you could see the Northern Lights? Well, a gorgeous art installation in Guildhall Yard lets you do just that, and you don't even have to fight a polar bear to get the best view. Every night until Wednesday December 22, artist Dan Acher’s version of the Aurora Borealis is lighting up the skies, using a mixture of coloured lights and swirling smoke to recreate this wonder-inducing natural phenomenon.

And it looks pretty stunning from the pics. Londoners took to Instagram to share their images: like this incredibly soothing photo of gorgeous swirls filling the night sky, a bit like a giant (and less dangerous) lava lamp.

The relaxing abstract swirls of colour look particularly gorgeous when they're contrasting with the austere, beautiful architecture of Guildhall Yard, which has been a site of entertainment for Londoners since Roman times.

This installation is also the perfect background to a selfie or moody portrait photo: hello, new profile picture! 

Get down to Guildhall Yard before Christmas to score your own pics: it’s free, and although advance tickets are booked out online, there will be walk-up spaces available each day for spontaneous colour fans. And as grim Covid-related news wracks Londoners with justifiable anxieties, it’s high time you gave your brain a little technicolour treat. 

‘Borealis’ is on at Guildhall Yard until Wed Dec 22: info and tickets here

Delight your eyes with these Christmas lights in London

There are more colourful wonders in store at this free immersive art exhibition at Now Gallery