Aurora Australis puts on spectacular light show down south

  • 21/04/2018

The Southern Lights put on a spectacular show across Australasia on Friday night.

Aurora Australis enthusiasts across New Zealand and Australia took some impressive images of the natural light display.

The views were particularly good further south, with some amazing pictures from Canterbury and Otago - as well as in places like Victoria and Tasmania.

Bad weather restricted the views from Queenstown and Invercargill, but there were some great shots taken in Central Otago - where Jack Burden took this photo.

A spectacular view of the Aurora Australis from Wanaka, by Jack Burden.
A spectacular view of the Aurora Australis from Wanaka, by Jack Burden. Photo credit: Jack Burden Images

"Crazy Aurora Australis last night from Wanaka, exactly a year on from last year's light show," Mr Burden posted on the Aurora Australis Facebook group.

He said it was one of the "craziest" auroras he has ever experienced, with the colours at times layered on top of each other.

Reuben Looi was stoked to capture this image looking down over Lyttelton Harbour.

Lyttelton Harbour lit up by the Aurora Australis, by Reuben Looi.
Lyttelton Harbour lit up by the Aurora Australis, by Reuben Looi. Photo credit: Instagram/@reubenroams

"I've tried and tried to get this particular shot for the entire 2017 Autumn - Winter, and failed every single time... but finally got the shot tonight! Couldn't go to sleep until I finish editing this photo haha and i'm pretty happy with it," Mr Looi said on Facebook.

"Tiwai Road Southland 10:25 - 20/4/18" was the simple caption for Tony Maheno's beautiful photo of two giant power pylons dwarfed by the power of nature and the universe overhead.

Twin power pylons under the Southern Lights in Southland.
Twin power pylons under the Southern Lights in Southland. Photo credit: Tony Maheno

Across the Tasman, photographer Bernadette Bee captured this image from Bell's Beach on the Victorian coast.

It was "a spectacular display" for Bernadette Bee at Bell's Beach.
It was "a spectacular display" for Bernadette Bee at Bell's Beach. Photo credit: Bernadette Bee Photography

The Aurora Australis is the southern hemisphere counterpart to the Aurora Borealis - the Northern Lights. They are caused by solar winds in outer space disturbing Earth's magnetosphere, churning up charged particles in the upper atmosphere.

Newshub.