The darker nights mean more opportunity for stargazing, and even catching the spectacular aurora borealis which paid a visit to local skies last week.

Jack Boyle's impressive photo of the moon, which featured on the Largs News Facebook page last week captured a lot of interest,

Jack said: "I used my Panasonic Bridge camera on its 12.00 zoom setting and stuck it on the mono pod out on my balcony and with a steady hand managed to run off about 20 shots, and use the best one."

Visible planets in the night sky this month include Venus which rises between 6am and 7am in the south-east at Sunrise.

Mars rises around 4am throughout November and will also be low in the south-east at Sunrise.

Jupiter will be visible at sunrise in the southern sky from early November, rising at 6am by the 21st of the month.

The Leonid meteor shower, active between the 15th and 20th November peaks on the evening of the 17th. The meteors are caused by the Earth moving through the debris trail of comet Tempel-Tuttle, a short period comet which takes around 33 years to orbit the Sun. At the peak around 20 meteors per hour are possible.. The Leonids appear to radiate from the constellation Leo, which will have risen just before midnight on the night of the 17th. The best way to view the meteor shower is to wrap up warm, find a dark sky site and keep your eye on the sky.

The next viewing night at Castle Semple in Lochwinnoch is on Monday November 27, and runs from 7pm to 9pm and is free but places are limited so please call the Castle Semple visitor centre on 01505 842882 to book a place. More information at http://clydemuirshiel.co.uk/event/stargazing-evening-27-11-17/

The viewing season has begun again at Coats Observatory in Paisley and runs every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30pm to 9pm until 21st December, resuming again on January 9th until March 29th. As always admission is free and there is no need to book.