EAGLE-EYED night owls were treated to the stunning sight of a natural phenomenom last night. 

The aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, showed its hand last night between 10pm and midnight.

In bitterly cold conditions, snappers across Renfrewshire captured the celestial site in the skies.

The village of Bishopton proved a particular hotspot, with these images showing the lights in all their glory. 

The Gazette:

The aurora is an incredible light show caused by collisions between electrically charged particles released from the sun that enter the earth’s atmosphere and collide with gases such as oxygen and nitrogen.

The lights are seen around the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres.

Because the phenomena occurs near the magnetic poles, getting as close to these poles as possible will rapidly increase the chances of viewing aurora.

The Gazette:

As the magnetic south pole is in Antarctica, it usually leaves the northern hemisphere the most sensible option of viewing aurora.

It should be mentioned however that during strong solar storms, aurora australis are quite often visible in places south from Australia.

But generally speaking, the best places to watch the aurora are usually are North America or Europe.