Tekapo Aurora Australis

[Grant]

An explosion on the Sun's surface has provided Tekapo residents with a spectacular night sky.


The Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, was visible from most of the southern half of the South Island last weekend. University of Canterbury Mount John Observatory astronomer Alan Gilmore said the lights, which extended in an arc shape across the night sky, were caused by activity on the Sun that sent gases towards Earth.

"It's basically an explosion on the Sun which throws a cloud of gas outwards. Earth's magnetic field channels it to the north and south poles," he said.

The yellow-green colours seen at the bottom of the arc began about 100km above Earth, while the red segment began at a height of about 300km and reached a further 400km into the sky, he said.

Fraser Gunn, of Tekapo, said the lights were visible for several hours on Saturday night. "It was quite spectacular," he said. "It is rare for it to make it this far north."
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