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Spectacular Northern Lights illuminate skies over Scotland

The Northern Lights have put on one of the most impressive displays in recent years in the skies above Scotland.

An aurora is formed by a solar flare erupting on the Sun, sending charged particles towards Earth which interact with our atmosphere.

We've compiled some of your pictures and videos sent in from around the country.

27 February 2023

Northern Lights

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The Glen Sannox ferry on the water during trials.

Watch: The Glen Sannox ferry saga in two minutes

Glasgow & West Scotland

Pudsey the bear with a colourful polkadot bandage over one eye standing with three children in front of a small blue and white plane on the Fair Isle landing strip.

Pudsey flies in to meet children on Fair Isle

NE, Orkney & Shetland

Otter in water in Shetland

️The orphaned otter that is now part of the family

NE, Orkney & Shetland

Oyster farmer Winston Brown eating an oyster from its shell in white oyster packing plant room.

Shetland oysters back on the market after 130 years

NE, Orkney & Shetland

Mini the monkey

Moment BBC reporter returns tortured monkey into wild

Rocks of various colours in a circular pattern on a beach

It really is the best therapy, says land artist

Northern Lights

Watch: Northern Lights over Iceland in sped-up footage

Northern lights illuminate the night sky.

Watch: Stunning Northern Lights display seen across US and Canada

Sabrina Lee standing in front of an picture of green aurora

Why are we seeing the Northern Lights so often?

Green waves of Northern Lights fill the sky over a cottage surrounded by trees

Watch a timelapse of Northern Lights over the west of Scotland

Glasgow & West Scotland

A view of the northern lights above the earth from space

Mesmerising auroras captured over Earth from space and on the ground

Ashlee Crumpton

TikToker terrified of people seeing her skin

A swan and her cygnets swim across a body of water. There is no suggestion of blue green algae in the water. It is a stock image

What is the effect of blue-green algae on wildlife?

Northern Ireland

A gold and green leopard frog peers out of some leaves

Endangered leopard frogs released into the wild

Explosion during rocket launch test

Moment rocket engine explodes in Shetland

NE, Orkney & Shetland

A video grab shows the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) flickering over the earth's surface with the moon setting in the background, and parts of the Internation Space Station (ISS) visible in the foreground. The Earth's curvature can be seen as it rotates

Watch: The Northern Lights seen from space

Science & Environment

Pink and green Northern Lights hang in the sky above a car in a field

Timelapse shows Northern Lights glowing above Wisconsin

Science & Environment

Three police officers on a street while one of them holds a battering ram above their head

Watch moment drug police smash door of wrong house

Cow and man sitting together

What is it like to cuddle a cow?

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Woman's anger at receiving letters from rapist

BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell lying on the ground with a blue beanie hat and wrapped in a silver blanket

‘I wanted to show what having a seizure was like’

BBC Scotland's political editor Glenn Campbell has been describing his journey since being diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour.

Weather presenter Christopher Blanchett standing in front of a large-scale photograph of wintry conditions

Weather forecast: First taste of winter in Scotland

Arctic air has been working its way in from the north, bringing cold temperatures that for the coming days.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn

Flynn: Reaction to 2026 Holyrood bid 'not pleasant'

The SNP Westminster leader will stand for the Aberdeen South and North Kincardine seat

Veterans during Edinburgh's Armistice Day event. One of them is saluting while the other have heads bowed while holding flags downward.

Watch: Armistice Day tributes take place across Scotland

The traditional 11 November two-minute period of remembrance took place at 11:00 across the country.

Three rescuers wearing life jackets and hard hats work to free a humpback whale in a sea loch

Humpback whale tangled in creel lines set free

Experts used underwater cameras to work out how the whale was trapped, before untangling it in Loch Fyne.

Sandy Duthie from Aberdeenshire is now the lighthouse keeper on Gabo Island, in Victoria

The Scot in charge of an Australian lighthouse

Sandy Duthie from Aberdeenshire is now the lighthouse keeper on Gabo Island, in Victoria

Police stand next to a blue trawler vessel moored in a harbour

Watch: Police target fishing boat over 'modern slavery' claim

A 38-year-old man was arrested and two Ghanaian men were removed from the vessel as part of the operation.

Firework explodes on the top or a building behind a traffic island sending red and yellow sparks showering metres in all directions.

Watch: Fireworks set off on Scottish streets on Bonfire Night

Fire crews have been attacked as fireworks were set off on streets across Scotland on Bonfire Night.

Gloved hand picking up one of five Lewis chessmen. Two are facing the camera and three away from the camera.

See a brand new view of the Lewis chessmen

Ten of the intricately-carved pieces have been redisplayed in a case which allows visitors to see their backs for the first time.

The Jacobite Express steam train crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct in the Scottish Highlands

Repairing Scotland's historic 'Harry Potter' bridge

Engineers have been working day and night on the Glenfinnan Viaduct as part of a £3.4m restoration project.

Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, wearing a blue top and black coat, stands beside Alex Salmond, wearing a blue shirt and dark jacket

Salmond death was shock to all in North Macedonia - Ahmed-Sheikh

Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh says people in North Macedonia wanted to pay tribute to Alex Salmond.

Waves can be seen overtopping the barrier at Troon. The sky is grey and sea mist is being blown high by the wind.

Watch: Stormy waters and high winds as storm hits Scotland

Storm Ashley could cause gusts of up to 70-80 mph (113-129km/h) in some areas of Scotland.

Gillian Smart wears a red and black dress. She presents the weather in front of a green screen which forecasts high winds across Scotland.

The latest weather forecast as Storm Ashley hits Scotland

Gillian Smart has the latest weather forecast, as a yellow warning for high winds gusting up to 60 mph (97km/h) is in force across the whole of Scotland.

North Macedonian soldiers carrying Alex Salmond's coffin draped in a Saltire towards a private jet

Alex Salmond’s coffin flown home to Scotland

A plane carrying Alex Salmond's body has left North Macedonia and is being flown back to Scotland.

Black and white horse sticking its head out of a barn door while a police officer feeds it

Watch: Training police horses to help deal with public disorder

The BBC has been given an exclusive insight into the training of police horses when it comes to dealing with public order.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, wears a blue suit and glasses, as he stands in the House of Commons. Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves sit either side of him on the benches.

Salmond was a monumental figure in politics - Starmer

Prime Minister Keir Starmer pays tribute to the 'lasting legacy' of Alex Salmond.

Chris McEleny of the Alba Party speaks to the BBC via Zoom from Zagreb in Croatia

'Can't believe it's happened' - Salmond's Alba colleague

Chris McEleny of the Alba Party is travelling to North Macedonia, where Alex Salmond died on Saturday.

Calum MacColl

BBC weather presenter bursts into song live on air

Calum MacColl sung the Gaelic song that won him a gold medal at the Royal National Mòd in 2021.

Sally Magnusson sits in a darkened room wearing blue-rimmed glasses, a white top and a burgundy blazer

Sally Magnusson hears how a cure for Alzheimer's is 'within our grasp'

Sally Magnusson hears how testing for early symptoms of Alzheimer's could help find a cure for the condition.

BBC Scotland political correspondent Kirsten Campbell

Take a look at the Scottish Parliament building on its 20th birthday

The Scottish Parliament officially opened 20 years ago - but did you know the meanings behind some of its key features?