Aurora Borealis put on display across Scotland

Freck Fraser from Belladrum captured the aurora at Tarbat Ness lighthouse after 23:00 on Saturday.

The Northern Lights put on spectacular displays across the skies overnight.

The lights, or Aurora Borealis, were visible in cloud-free areas and many BBC Scotland News website readers sent in their photos.

Shimmering colourful waves appear when atoms in the Earth's high-altitude atmosphere collide with energetic charged particles from the sun.

They are seen most clearly in areas away from light pollution.

Alan Tough used a tripod to get this 10 second exposure from Hopeman Beach. "This auroral display took a while to get going," he said. "But once it did it was pretty good!"

Dawid Gierszewski, from Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, took this dramatic image at the ruins of nearby Knockhall Castle

It was a chilly night for Mark Slater from Edinburgh. He said his hat and gloves were definitely required as he waited to capture this view over Bass Rock from East Lothian.

The peninsula lighthouse at Dunnet Head in Caithness provided a dramatic setting for Michael Beales to photograph the aurora.

The northern lights put on a "good show" before midnight for Richard Millar, who took this photo of Kessock Bridge at Inverness.

Harlie Raethel, from Kintore, had always wanted to see the aurora, so set out on Saturday evening to catch a glimpse. Harlie said: "About 10 minutes from our house I stopped near the Chapel of Garioch and could see a greyish haze on the horizon. I pointed my camera at it with a long exposure and was blown away by what I saw."

Jacquie Murray caught the aurora in Peterhead. "She was dancing," Jacquie said. "What a show."

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