Stargazers across parts of Scotland were treated to a dazzling display of the Northern Lights on Sunday evening.

The aurora borealis was visible across much of Scotland as skies cleared, painting the night sky with shades of green, purple and blue.

The ethereal spectacle is caused by charged solar particles interacting with the Earth's magnetic field and is usually only visible in the far north of Scotland.

It was seen across parts of Tayside, including Dundee, Aberdeen and Edinburgh as well as the Highlands.

A "lucky combination" of conditions in the lower atmosphere and in space meant the phenomenon was visible across swathes of the country, Met Office space weather adviser Amanda Townsend said.

She added: "Once in a while the solar winds are enhanced to levels stronger than normal, with particles at higher speeds, and on this occasion it has connected really well with the Earth's magnetic field."

Many took to social media to share their photos of the Northern Lights, including views from Scotland Oxfordshire, the Isle of Man and Donegal.