Cosmic Light Show Dazzles South Island Skies
New Zealanders, especially in the South Island, have been treated to a breathtaking, dazzling light show courtesy of the Aurora Australis, which has been brilliantly captured by photographers this week. Vivid displays have been noted in areas including Tasman, Twizel, and Southland.
Te Whatu Stardome astronomer Josh Aoraki explained the phenomenon, noting that the lights are often visible to cameras even when hidden from the naked eye. “We’re currently in a pretty high activity period with our sun, and the aurora is a direct result of solar activity interacting with the earth’s magnetic field,” he said. He added that the recent “really large prominences in flares off the sun” are what is causing the spectacular displays.
Aoraki confirmed that location is key for viewing: “The further south you are in places like Twizel, Southland and Otago, they usually get much better views than up in Auckland.” He also stressed the importance of dark skies, pointing to the Twizel and Tekapo dark sky reserve as ideal locations.
While auroras are “notoriously hard to predict” in terms of brightness, Aoraki recommended checking NOOA’s website for forecasts, as its satellites constantly monitor the solar activity that precedes the light show.
