The aurora borealis made an overnight appearance on the west of Scotland overnight between last Thursday and Friday.

There were various glimpses throughout the local area including on the Haylie Brae, Fairlie Moor Road, and across the bay in Arran.

Robin Parker, of Restless Lens in West Kilbride described it as ‘Fairlie Moor Aurora madness’.

He said: “Arriving at twenty to twelve, there was a pleasant glow which stayed much the same with a little vertical structure appearing now and then until at bang on midnight things just took off and as curtains of light arced across the sky and filled the full width of my lens, even at 11mm. My last image was taken at five to one and there was still more happening. Brilliant.” Another spectacular picture taken by Glen Sloss displayed Lochranza Castle in Arran with the aurora in the background.

The bright lights of the aurora are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth’s atmosphere. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres.