An expert photographer from Oban has captured some stunning night time photos showing why Scotland is such an incredible setting for stargazing.
Oban resident Nick Edgington was near the Sound of Kerrera when he managed to get some truly beautiful shots of the Northern Lights and the Milky Way in the clear night sky above Scotland's west coast.
He even managed to capture Jupiter reflecting in the sea near the popular coastal town.
Nick, 50, showcased the skills he's learned in nearly a decade of wide-field Astro-photography, with the shots which he regularly posts on his Instagram account.
Speaking about his passion for night sky photography, Nick said: "I like nothing more than chasing the Milky Way and the Aurora, and during the summer months when the night sky doesn’t quite get dark enough I go in search of Noctilucent Clouds.”
"Parts of the Milky Way are visible all year apart from the summer months when the sky never gets dark enough (mid May to mid August). The Galactic Core (the bright part near the horizon) is only visible straight after sunset in August, September and October or just before sunrise in February, March and April.
"The rest of the disc though is visible throughout the night."
He explained that Scotland is blessed with some very dark skies, especially on the west coast, and they offer a cracking view of the cosmos when the sky is clear enough.
He also offered some advice for people looking to get out there and enjoy them, he said: "The key is finding a dark sky away from light pollution, giving your eyes a wee bit of time to adjust to the darkness (no looking at phones etc) and then it should come into view quite easily.
"It’s also best viewed when the Moon isn’t up as that washes out the stars."
