Airborne streams of flaming green, ethereal strobes of fuchsia and smoky rivers of butter-yellow: catching a glimpse of the world’s greatest light show doesn’t require a flight across the globe to Norway or deepest, darkest Iceland. Even on shores as close as Tasmania you can eyeball the fleeting beauty of the aurora. Caused by coronal mass ejections – which happen when the sun releases a colossal burst of solar wind and magnetic fields into space – these dancing illuminations are notoriously unpredictable, but the southern lights are just as frequent as the northern.
While aurora hunters need to cross their fingers for elevated geomagnetic activity, edging closer to the South Pole increases your chances of a glimpse. From New Zealand’s South Island (pictured) to the more remote reaches of the world’s southernmost city, Ushuaia, in Argentina, and the isle of South Georgia stranded at the bottom of the South Atlantic Ocean, there are plenty of options perfect for gazing below the Earth’s equator.
For those setting out in search of the aurora, you can find info and news about the southern lights at Aurora Service, offering aurora alerts via text and up-to-the-hour forecasts.
aurora-service.net