Normally the northern lights season doesn't start until the end of autumn, but it looks like it's coming to Scotland this year.
Several locations in the north, including Caithness, Moray Firth and Dundee, saw spectacular displays in the sky last night, and more sightings are expected tonight.
People are told to look to the sky on Friday night.A series of explosions on the Sunis expected to hit Earth today, creating a natural phenomenon also known as the Aurora Borealis.
Space Weather Experts from the Japan Meteorological Agency have even warned that solar storms could wreak havoc on satellites, navigation and other critical systems.
The storm was caused by particles exploding from the surface of the Sun and is now heading towards Earth.
The storm has been described as 'cannibalistic' because the particles 'eat' each other on their way through the sky. This creates beautiful light and color that you will see when it gets dark tonight.
When to see the Northern Lights
The peak season for Northern Lights viewing in Scotland is usually from December to February, with long, cold and sunny nights.
According to AuroraWatch, the best time to see them is between 10pm and midnight. The sky should be clear and light pollution limited. The farther north you go, the more chances you have to catch a glimpse of the sky.
This particular storm has been described as so 'intense' that it could be seen in places as far south as northern England and New York. Scotland, on the same latitude as Stavanger in Norway and Nunivak in Alaska, has some of the most vivid and impressive northern lights.
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What Causes Northern Lights?
Solar storms like these can produce massive amounts of light. A cloud of charged particles is created and released into the atmosphere.
They can travel millions of miles and even reach the Earth's magnetic field. When this happens, they move toward the north and south poles, generating heat in doing so.
The auroras we see are atoms and molecules in our own atmosphere colliding with particles of the sun. The stunning colors and waves are caused not only by heat, but also by the gaps and lines of the Earth's magnetic force.
Are solar storms dangerous?
Solar storms have little impact on Earth.
But space experts warn that it could disrupt navigation systems, amateur radio and power systems.
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