They are both spectacular and entrancing. You tend to find that the Aurora Borealis, in the North, gets more publicity, but the fact is that the Southern Lights can be just as impressive.
To see Crux, one must go at least as far south as 25 degrees north latitude. For example, you could head to the Florida Keys, where you'll see it just lifting fully above the southern horizon. The Cross appears noticeably higher from Puerto Rico and the islands of the Caribbean, as well as Hawaii.
Photographers across Australia will tell you that Aurora Australis is visible from many places, but your best chance of witnessing this phenomenon is to be as far south as possible – which means Tasmania. All you need for a sighting is a broad horizon (away from artificial light), a decent camera and good timing.
The Otago PeninsulaGriffin says New Zealand is one of the only places in the world where you can watch the aurora on a beach in sandals. Extending from the southeast corner of the South Island, the Otago Peninsula is a haven for flora and fauna.
The answer is yes, though they are not referred to as the “Northern Lights.” Auroras occur around both the North and South Poles, but auroras that occur in the southern hemisphere don't get much attention for various reasons. Read on to learn about auroras in Antarctica.
The Northern Lights have been described as a 'celestial ballet of light dancing across the night sky. But few realise its southern equal, the Aurora Australis, can be seen from Tasmania.
To observers at far-northern latitudes, the Lights are a frequent occurrence, but many who live in more temperate climates have never seen them, even though they are occasionally seen as far south as 35 degrees North latitude. This article will help you improve your chances of seeing the Lights if you journey north.
When the solar wind gets past the magnetic field and travels towards the Earth, it runs into the atmosphere. As the protons and electrons from the solar wind hit the particles in the Earth's atmosphere, they release energy – and this is what causes the northern lights.
Northern lights are also called by their scientific name, aurora borealis, and southern lights are called aurora australis.
Most often they appear as sheets of color (mostly green, but sometimes other colors too, like red, or purple), on the southern horizon.
In Australia, Spring occurs from September through November. Early spring is still a great time to see the southern lights, especially earlier in September. Aurora activity peaks around the spring equinox in September, as the state of the Earth's magnetic field facilitates more solar particles to causing auroras.
Northern Lights can be seen in the northern or southern hemisphere, in an irregularly shaped oval centred over each magnetic pole. The lights are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the north and 'Aurora australis' in the south. Areas that are not subject to 'light pollution' are the best places to watch for the lights.
When the charged particles enter the earth's atmosphere it ionises the different particles present in atmosphere. Depending on the ionised particles, the color of the light in atmosphere changes. Only reason for Aurora in higher latitudes, is our natural shield, Earth's magnetic field!
The Northern Lights occur so high up in the atmosphere that they don't pose any threat to people watching them from the ground. The aurora itself is not harmful to humans but the electrically charged particles produced could have some potentially negative effects to infrastructure and technology.
June through August are the darkest months in Tasmania, when you'll most likely see the southern lights. No matter when you visit, you'll need to wait for a dark, clear night to try and see the southern lights in Tasmania; in summer, you might need to stay up a bit later too.
The Aurora Australis, also known as Southern Lights, is sometimes seen in the southern sky from much of Tasmania. The best places are those with open sky to the south and no city lights. Buttongrass Retreat, Port Huon Cottages and Clifftop Cabin at Huon Bush Retreats are all suitable on an aurora active night.
