The night sky has been lit up by the Northern Lights over Scotland, with some also reporting the spectacular shades of green and red south of the border.

The phenomenon, also known as Aurora Borealis, are often seen from countries like Iceland and Norway and are only occasionally visible from the UK.

Sightings have been reported across northern Scotland, including from Loch Ness and Fort Augustus.

Some on social media have even claimed to have witnessed the lights from as far south as Cornwall, though pictures appear to suggest the sky is not quite as spectacular further south.

The stunning display is caused by particles from the sun carried on solar winds interacting with the Earth’s atmosphere after being channelled to the polar regions by the planet’s magnetic field.

According to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, different gases give different effects.

Green indicates solar particles interacting with oxygen, while purple, blue or pink hues are caused by nitrogen.

A deep red can sometimes be seen as a result of solar particles interacting with oxygen at very high altitudes.

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The Met Office says the Northern Lights are best spotted from Scotland, northern England, northern Wales and Northern Ireland.

Only under “severe space weather conditions” can the lights be seen throughout the UK – even then, star-gazers need a clear sky and less light pollution.

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