Aurora Australis dances over Southland and Otago skies
The night sky above Kaitangata glowed in vivid green, red, and purple hues as Southland and Otago witnessed a breathtaking display of the Aurora Australis. The phenomenon, also known as the southern lights, painted the southern skies in waves of color shifting softly in form and tone.
These natural illuminations are created when charged particles from the sun collide with Earth's magnetic field. Such interactions can result in geomagnetic storms that light up the night skies with flowing shades of blue, red, yellow, green, and orange. Although visible throughout the year, auroras are most often seen during the equinoxes in March and September when nights grow longer and darker.
Eyewitness Experience
Local observer Leeana Ferguson brought her two daughters to Kaitangata on Summer Hill Road, gazing toward Kākā Point to capture the spectacle.
“That’s our usual spot to try and catch a glimpse of the ‘pretty lights’, as my girls call them,” Ferguson said.
She described the beams stretching over Kākā Point as clearly visible to the naked eye.
“I think this is about the third time this year I’ve been lucky enough to get good photos of the aurora,” she said.
About Aurora Australis
The Aurora Australis, occurring near the South Pole, mirrors the northern counterpart known as Aurora Borealis. Each event reminds onlookers of the deep connection between solar activity and Earth’s magnetic forces, producing moments of wonder across the southern horizon.
Author summary: A vivid aurora lit the skies above Southland and Otago, offering residents a rare and beautiful encounter with the dancing southern lights.