People across the lower South Island of New Zealand were treated to a dazzling display of the aurora australis last night. The sky glowed with beautiful purple and green colours.
One person in the Omarama high country said they saw the most amazing southern lights while out hunting. Others in Queenstown captured pictures showing the lights changing colour and brightness over time.
Scientists from Earth Sciences New Zealand said this kind of space weather can be predicted by studying activity on the Sun. Aurorae happen when particles from powerful solar events crash into gases in Earth’s atmosphere near the poles.
These collisions create glowing colours in the sky. The light shows are usually seen in places closer to the magnetic poles, which is why the far south often gets the best view.
When solar activity is especially strong, the aurora can be seen farther north. A similar solar storm in January this year created amazing sights as far up as the lower North Island. Events like this help people learn more about how the Sun affects Earth. For many people in the South Island, though, it was also simply a magical night to remember.
