Rare moonbows seen over the Highlands

A moonbow seen from Fortrose on the Black Isle

Moonbows could be seen from parts of the Highlands on Thursday night.

The optical phenomenon is caused when moonlight is refracted through water droplets in the air.

Moonbows, also known as lunar rainbows, are faint and very rarely seen, according to the Met Office. 

Dores on the shores of Loch Ness also had good views of the lunar rainbow

A picture of the optical phenomenon taken from Inverness

Abriachan in the hills above Loch Ness was another vantage point for moonbow sightings

A lunar rainbow over Alness in Easter Ross

RNLI Loch Ness, stationed near Drumnadrochit, asked what might lie at the end of a lunar rainbow