The Northern Lights - otherwise known as the aurora borealis - may be one of the most spectacular displays visible in our skies.
And lucky enough, Scotland could be in for a lights show as early as this evening.
The lights are due to a solar storm heading straight for Earth in a 'direct hit', according to NASA.
The storm contains billions of tons of rapid solar particles bound by a magnetic field - creating the light spectacular.
There is no need to book a trip elsewhere to spot the show as forecasters say the lights may be visible as early as tonight across the UK.
Here is all you need to know from when to spot the lights, where to go and what actually causes the aurora borealis...
When will the Northern Lights be visible in Scotland?
The rapid solar winds travelled from the Sun on January 29 along with a coronal mass ejection (CME).
This ejection is likely to cause a geomagnetic storm beginning as early as tomorrow - meaning there may be a chance to spot the Northern Lights in Scotland overnight tonight.
NASA earlier predicted that the storm could hit as early as 6PM this evening - February 1 - with later forecasts stating that the solar storm will hit by 5AM tomorrow - February 2.
The best time to sport the lights is usually between the hours of 10PM and midnight so it may be wise to keep an eye on the skies later tonight.
However, if there are a lot of clouds filling the skies it could be pretty difficult to see the show.
How to spot the Northern Lights
Though there is no guarantee of sightings, here are some places that might increase you chances of spotting the Aurora Borealis.
In areas with no or limited light pollution, the auroras may be easier to spot.
Heading into the countryside of up a hill could help.
Heading to the highlands, islands and sometimes even lower down on the west coast, you'll be able to spot the Aurora Borealis - one of nature's most magical displays.
The best time is between 10pm and midnight, depending on cloud cover.
You can find out a more about the best places to spot the lights in our full list here.
What are the Northern Lights and how do they happen?
The spectacular that is the Northern Lights has been spotted time and time again during a solar storm.
The lights we see in the night sky are in actual fact caused by activity on the Sun.
Storms on the surface on the Sun create huge waves of electronically charged particles capable of travelling millions of miles with some reaching Earth.
The waves that reach our planet become captured in Earth's magnetic field.
From this, bright lights are often created, which allows us to enjoy the wonder of the Northern Lights.
“These [solar storm] particles then slam into atoms and molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere and essentially heat them up,” explains Royal Observatory astronomer Tom Kerss. “We call this physical process ‘excitation’, but it’s very much like heating a gas and making it glow.”
The lowest part of an aurora is typically around 80 miles above the Earth's surface.
However, the top of a display may extend several thousand miles above the Earth.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
