Our Night Sky

Airglow and the Zodiac - Sailean nan Cuileag, Salen, Ardnamurchan

The view south-west out of Sailean nan Cuileag on a February night with a false dusk being created by triangular beam of zodiacal light emanating from behand the trees to the west and projecting itself above green and red tinged airglow that was on the horizon in all directions.

Night Time Passing - Loch Shiel, Acharacle, Ardnamurchan

Fifteen minutes of night passing at the jetty in Acharacle that leads north out into Loch Shiel, with the rotation of the earth creating startrails in a sky tinged with airglow.

Leading to Vega - Loch Shiel, Acharacle, Ardnamurchan

The jetty at Acharacle leads out into Loch Shiel and onwards to Vega, the fifth brightest star in the night sky and the second-brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere after Arcturus, as it sits low on the northern horizon, while hanging in the red and green hues of airglow.

Ice Path to Orion - Ceann Traigh Breige, Ardery, Sunart

After a week of sub-zero temperatures, the stream that flows into Ceann Traigh Breige had become frozen to create this icy pathway to both the constellation of Orion and to Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky which can be seen reflecting on its icy surface.

Aurora on Ice II - Lochan na Dunaich, Salen, Ardnamurchan

The colours of the aurora borealis fill the gap between the trees at the northern end of Lochan na Dunaich, while some of this colour falls on ice that is gradually thawing after the end of a cold spell.

Aurora on Ice I - Lochan na Dunaich, Salen, Ardnamurchan

The colours of the aurora borealis fill the gap between the trees at the northern end of Lochan na Dunaich, while some of this colour falls on ice that is gradually thawing after the end of a cold spell.

Moonlit Light - Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Ardnamurchan Point, Ardnamurchan

Ardnamurchan Lighthouse lit up by the light of a nearly full moon on a late November evening, with the stars of The Plough high in the sky above the Small Isles out on the distant northern horizon.

Earth Calling - Kentra Bay, Gobshealach, Ardnamurchan

The solitary phone box at the Newton junction on the road to Ardtoe illuminated with a red light while the Milky Way soars above it and the salt marsh around Kentra Bay

Self-Isolation Revisited II - Mingarry Park, Mingarry, Moidart

This lone tree sits in splendid isolation near Mingarry Village Hall and I last photographed it after dark in Spring and revisited in Autumn to photograph it again, but when the Milky Way replaced Orion in the south western night sky to its right.

Self-Isolation Revisited I - Mingarry Park, Mingarry, Moidart

This lone tree sits in splendid isolation near Mingarry Village Hall and I last photographed it after dark in Spring and revisited in Autumn to photograph it again, but when the Milky Way replaced Orion in the south western night sky to its right.

The Men and Women of Moidart - Moidart War Memorial, Bealach Carach, Glenuig, Moidart

The war memorial to the men and women of Moidart sits behind a stone coffin cairn at the top Bealach Carach. Erected on 2014, it bears the inscription: ‘In proud memory of the men and women of Moidart who gave up their lives in two world wars 1914-18 and 1939-45. For your tomorrow we gave our today.’

Evening Worship - Kingairloch Church, Camasnacroise, Ardgour

Kingairloch Church in Camasnacroise, sitting under a star filled night sky with the Milky Way passing across the hills to the south, which separate Cross Bay (Camas na Croise) from the Loch of the Corrie (Loch a’ Choire).

Galactic Crossing - River Shiel, Blain, Moidart

The cloudy core of our galaxy, the Milky Way, soars above the old bridge that crosses the River Shiel to link Moidart and Ardnamurchan.

Tioram Night Shining III - Castle Tioram, Doirlinn, Moidart

A feature of the midsummer, noctilucent, or "night shining" clouds illuminate the sky above Castle Tioram and fight of the darkness of the night.

Tioram Night Shining II - Castle Tioram, Doirlinn, Moidart

A feature of the midsummer, noctilucent, or “night shining” clouds illuminate the sky above Castle Tioram and fight of the darkness of the night.

Tioram Night Shining I - Castle Tioram, Doirlinn, Moidart

A feature of the midsummer, noctilucent, or "night shining" clouds illuminate the sky above Castle Tioram and fight of the darkness of the night.

White not Pink - Loch Sunart, Resipole, Sunart

Early on an April morning and Loch Sunart is lit by the white light from the Pink Moon of 2020 as it heads westwards to set behind the hills beyond Salen.

Bright Sparks - Rockpool House, Resipole, Sunart

Rays of light burst from the moon as it sits above the road from Resipole to Salen, while an equally bright Venus shines in the sky to the right.

Lunar Loch-side - Loch Sunart, Resipole, Sunart

Rays of light burst from the moon to light up the rocky shore of Loch Sunart while clouds roll in from the west.

Andromeda Above Aurora - Sailean Dubh, Ardtoe, Ardnamurchan

To the left, above the green light of the Aurora, sits the white spiral of the Andromeda Galaxy, the nearest major galaxy to our own galaxy, the Milky Way, whose cloudy core is beginning to rise above the hills to the north of the beach at Ardtoe.

Self-Isolation I - Mingarry Park, Mingarry, Moidart

A lone tree sits in splendid isolation under a Spring Equinox night sky with the bright light of the Orion Nebula to its right and Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, to its immediate left.

Self-Isolation II - Mingarry Park, Mingarry, Moidart

A lone tree sits in splendid isolation under a Spring Equinox night sky with the bright light of the Orion Nebula to its right and Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, to its immediate left.

Twinkling in Twilight II - Loch Sunart and Ben Resipole, Viewed from Camas Torsa, Ardnamurchan

As the sun begins to rise in the east from behind Ben Resipole, night-time moves to twilight while the brightest of the stars continue to twinkle in the north-eastern sky.

Twinkling in Twilight I - Loch Sunart and Ben Resipole, Viewed from Camas Torsa, Ardnamurchan

As the sun begins to rise in the east from behind Ben Resipole, night-time moves to twilight while the brightest of the stars continue to twinkle in the north-eastern sky

Western Airglow I - Camas Nan Geall, Ardslignish, Ardnamurchan

The pink-red tinge of Airglow emanates from the horizon a way out to the west beyond the bay of Camas Nan Geall, while the Milky Way rises up into the sky above the faint and distant outline of the Isle of Coll.

Western Airglow II - Camas Nan Geall, Ardslignish, Ardnamurchan

A pink-red tinge from Airglow emanates from the horizon a way out to the west beyond the bay of Camas Nan Geall, while the Milky Way rises up into the sky above the faint and distant outline of the Isle of Coll.

Flowing to the Stars I - Sanna Bay, Sanna, Ardnamurchan

A stream flows from the sand dunes at Sanna finds its way round the rocks and out to the sea. In the distance, a band of Airglow lights the horizon and the Milky Way soars above the light from the Cairns of Coll Lighthouse which located on the small island of Suil Ghorm about 2 km northeast of the coast of Coll.

Flowing to the Stars II - Sanna Bay, Sanna, Ardnamurchan

One of the two streams that flow from the sand dunes at Sanna finds its way round the rocks and out to the sea, while in the distance a band of Airglow lights the horizon and the Milky Way soars above the distant light from the Cairns of Coll Lighthouse which located on the small island about 2 km northeast of coast of Coll.

Under the Plough II - Sanna Bay, Sanna, Ardnamurchan

Looking north over Sanna Bay on a starry night to the Small Isles of Muck, Eigg and Rum, with 6 of the 7 bright stars of Ursa Major (the Plough) visible to the right of the sky.

Under the Plough I - Sanna Bay, Sanna, Ardnamurchan

Looking north over Sanna Bay on a starry night to the Small Isles of Muck, Eigg and Rum, with the 7 bright stars of Ursa Major (the Plough) visible to the left of the sky.

Distant Aurora - Sanna Bay, Sanna, Ardnamurchan

High above Sanna Bay on a late-October night and looking north to see distant Northern Lights in the sky beyond the Small Isles of Muck, Eigg and Rum

Stars in the Marsh - Camas Shallachain, Sallachan, Ardgour

On a beautifully still and clear night, reflections of stars can be seen in the pools of the salt marsh at Sallachan Beach, while the Milky Way rises in the south west, over the summit of Beinn Leamhain.

Life Beyond the Bothy II - Camas Chil Mhalieu, Kilmalieu, Ardgour

When standing looking at the vastness of the night sky that lay beyond this small bothy, I couldn’t help but think about something Carl Sagan said about life elsewhere in the Universe. It was ““The universe is a pretty big place. If it’s just us, seems like an awful waste of space.”

Life Beyond the Bothy III - Camas Chil Mhalieu, Kilmalieu, Ardgour

When standing looking at the vastness of the night sky that lay beyond this small bothy, I couldn’t help but think about something Carl Sagan said about life elsewhere in the Universe. It was ““The universe is a pretty big place. If it’s just us, seems like an awful waste of space.”

Life Beyond the Bothy I - Camas Chil Mhalieu, Kilmalieu, Ardgour

When standing looking at the vastness of the night sky that lay beyond this small bothy, I couldn’t help but think about something Carl Sagan said about life elsewhere in the Universe. It was ““The universe is a pretty big place. If it’s just us, seems like an awful waste of space.”

Tioram Light Show - Castle Tioram, Doirlinn, Moidart

The sky above Castle Tioram and the sea below lit up with greens and purples from a spectacular show of the Northern Lights.

Floating on Green - Loch Shiel, Acharacle, Ardnamurchan

A small day boat moored up in Loch Shiel at the jetty in Acharacle floats on water that has been lit green by the aurora in the sky beyond the hills to the north.

The Night Watch - Garbh Eilean Wildlife Hide, Ardery, Sunart

A clear September evening and the Milky Way soars above the wildlife hide that overlooks Garbh Eilean and Loch Sunart.

Capricornids - River Shiel, Blain, Moidart

Shooting stars from the α–Capricornid meteor shower streak across the sky above the River Shiel as they emerge from their radiant point just to the east of the Milky Way.

Heavens Above - Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Ardnamurchan Point, Ardnamurchan

Sitting on the ground looking up the full height of the imposing light tower on a starry night, you not only think, but also see “Heavens Above”.

Night Beacon - Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Ardnamurchan Point, Ardnamurchan

The light of Ardnamurchan Lighthouse shining bright under a starry night sky.

Sound and Light at Night - Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Ardnamurchan Point, Ardnamurchan

The now disused fog horn of Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, which sits on the very edge of Ardnamurchan Point, under a starry night sky and the light itself in the background.

Warning Sound II - Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Ardnamurchan Point, Ardnamurchan

The now disused fog horn of Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, which sits on the very edge of Ardnamurchan Point, under a starry night sky.

Warning Sound I - Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Ardnamurchan Point, Ardnamurchan

The now disused fog horn of Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, which sits on the very edge of Ardnamurchan Point, under a starry night sky.

Safe Night Passage - Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Ardnamurchan Point, Ardnamurchan

Ardnamurchan lighthouse sitting under the Milky Way, marking safe passage around The Point. On the north-west horizon, the white light from Hyskeir Lighthouse, 5 miles south-west of Canna marks safe passage to The Minch.

Under Our Galaxy II - Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Ardnamurchan Point, Ardnamurchan

Ardnamurchan lighthouse sitting under our spiral galaxy, the Milky Way. Just to its right is the Andromeda Galaxy, the nearest spiral galaxy to our own.

Under Our Galaxy I - Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Ardnamurchan Point, Ardnamurchan

Ardnamurchan lighthouse sitting under our spiral galaxy, the Milky Way. Just to its right is the Andromeda Galaxy, the nearest spiral galaxy to our own..

Around the Light - Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, Ardnamurchan Point, Ardnamurchan

Polaris, the North Star, sitting just to the left of Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, around which all the stars appear to rotate in this 30-minute star trail composite image.