ISLANDERS looking up at the night’s sky have been left puzzled at the sight of a light beam coming from the mainland.

But worry not, as this is not the scene of an alien abduction, but instead, a stunning rainbow light projection beamed from Lighthouse Poole.

Scroll through the gallery of photos above.

The rainbow was a large-scale public art light installation that beamed seven rays of laser light to represent the colour spectrum of a natural rainbow.

Staff at the arts centre said the lights signal its resilience and re-emergence from the dark days of the pandemic.

Funded by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, the Lighthouse hosted the projection over Poole and out eastward, visible from areas of the Island, until after dark from November 18 – 20.

The venue said that, on a clear night, the beam was visible up to 37 miles away, meaning it was visible from Ventnor.

The light artwork, created in 2009 by artist Yvette Mattern, has been spotted across the globe, including in Tokyo, New York, and Toronto.