Parts of Australia and New Zealand have been treated to a stunning natural light display in recent days thanks to the aurora australis. Just as with its northern counterpart, the aurora borealis, the phenomenon occurs when the solar wind sufficiently interacts with the planet’s magnetosphere.
The aurora australis is fickle and unpredictable, and some photographers have spent years chasing its fleeting beauty. But in recent days little chasing has been necessary. Below, some of the many photos captured and shared by lucky snappers.
Lead image by will standring on Flickr; cropped and licensed under CC-BY-2.0.