The Northern Lights, common in northern Norway, went south a bit to provide a brilliant nighttime light show in Oslo.

The Aurora Borealis regularly occurs in northern Norway, but rarely is seen in southern parts of the country during the winter.

Late Thursday, though, the Northern Lights sent their colorful array over the capital Thursday, surprising meteorologists, Aftenposten said. While Oslo residents can spot them occasionally, "it's not often they're so bright," said Kristen Gislefoss of the state meteorological institute.

Weather scientists linked Olso's brilliant sighting to a solar storm.

The display was visible from the International Space Station, where Scandinavian astronaut Crister Fuglesang cried, "Wow!" when he saw the phenomenon as the station orbited over northern Europe early Friday, Aftenposten said.