To crown an absolutely stunning day and a perfect sunset over the Atlantic Ocean, we were completely blown away by the appearance of the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) at about 6pm. Purple and green, ever changing, sheer magic. The stars were also amazing and to top it all there were shooting stars in the west every few minutes.
Northern lights as seen this evening from the garden at Balranald Bay view, North Uist
The photo's above and below were both taken from the cottage garden between 6pm and 7pm. The Aurora is reflected in the sea. The light on the horizon is from the lighthouse on the offshore Monach Isles, which are home to the second largest colony of grey seals in the world.
The photo above was taken a few minutes walk from the cottage. The milky way can be seen clearly (top centre) and the moon is setting over the horizon on the left. The Aurora is again reflected in the Atlantic Ocean. Simply "jaw dropping".
The above photo was taken from the cottage garden at about 10pm and shows how the colours of the Aurora develop as the evening progresses. As an official "dark sky area", the stars in North Uist are astonishing.