Readers from across Ayrshire have been sending in their photos of last night's amazing view of the aurora borealis.

The Northern Lights could be clearly seen from many parts of the county.

By Geraldine HobbsBy Geraldine Hobbs (Image: Geraldine Hobbs)

Forecasters had said that the best chance of seeing the lights would be in the first half of Thursday night, with a slimmer chance of seeing them later on.

And many locals took out their cameras and phones to record what is a rare event in the Ayrshire skies.

By Chris WrightBy Chris Wright (Image: Chris Wright)

Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles.

As they collide, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colourful displays in the sky.

By Helen MuirBy Helen Muir (Image: Helen Muir)

The photos here are a selection of your best photos of the event.

By Anne Welsh McKinlayBy Anne Welsh McKinlay (Image: Anne Welsh McKInlay)

And as there's a decent chance of seeing the Northern Lights above Ayrshire again tonight, get your camera out again and send your best photos to us and we'll publish our favourites.