The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are dramatic and colourful light formations which can be seen in the skies in the northern hemisphere. If you are wondering if there is any difference between the Northern Lights and the Southern Lights, this page is designed to give you the answer. The aurora australis, or the southern lights, occur around the south polar region. Picture Credits for Southern Ocean Facts Page: Shutterstock.com 3. Occasionally the auroras are visible farther from the poles than usual. These solar winds carry particles which interact with earth’s magnetic field, colliding to produce energy releases in the form of auroras. When taking that perfect photo of the Northern Lights, … THEY'RE ALWAYS THERE. Aurora Australis - Southern Lights Tasmania. The top destinations to see the southern lights are the southernmost destinations in the world, including Tasmania. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. All that science-y talk basically boils down to this: The Northern and Southern Lights are siblings but not twins, as Universe Today explains. But few realise its southern equal, the Aurora Australis, can be seen from Tasmania. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Though auroras are most commonly associated with the cascades of green we've come to recognize, there are also times when the lights can appear red, orange, yellow, violet, and blue. For the Southern Lights, you’d want to head down anywhere from March through September. Both are caused by the same thing—charged particles given off by the Sun, which is why they’re stronger and brighter during peak times for solar storms. See aurora. The South Pole is one of the coldest, driest and harshest places on earth. In the Arctic Circle, they are known as aurora borealis or the northern lights, while in the Antarctic Circle they are called aurora australis or the southern lights. And these are the best viewing spots around the country for the Aurora Australis from March to September. In … There are also the Southern Lights which offer a … Aurora is caused by the collision of energetically charged particles with atoms in the high altitude thermosphere within our atmosphere. "While I was finishing the album Van Dyke Parks visited me in the studio," said Allen. It also doesn’t help that a forecast of one of these storms isn’t really accurate until a few hours before it hits. The southern counterpart, the aurora australis or the southern lights, has features almost identical to the aurora borealis and changes simultaneously with changes in the northern auroral zone. This is the general wintertime for the Southern Hemisphere, when the polar region is locked in virtual darkness, creating optimal visibility. But, getting technical, the Southern Lights are often referred to as Aurora Australis and are electrically charged particles from solar winds reacting with the gases of the Earth. For the Aurora Australis, … One of nature's most stunning displays, the Southern Lights is when the sky puts on a show with the most beautiful, awe-inspiring colours that will transport you to a mystical wonderland. Oxygen atoms at a lower altitude, for example, will cause that signature green light, but at higher altitudes, they’ll yield a red one. On March 23, the first-ever round-trip charter flight to the Aurora Australis took off, producing remarkable photos and videos of the oft-forgotten spectacle's ethereal beauty. For the Aurora Australis, you’re obviously going to have to head to the Southern Hemisphere for your best chance to get a glimpse. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Aurora australis over Antarctica as captured by NASA's IMAGE satellite on Sept. 11, 2005 and superimposed onto NASA's satellite-based Blue Marble image. The Southern Lights or the Aurora Australis are as spectacular as the Northern Lights. But in a study published in Nature, one team believes that’s not the case. Since the lights are caused by charged solar particles colliding with our own atmospheric atoms, the type of atoms and the altitude involved will produce different colors. Aurora Australis Southern Lights The Aurora Australis, otherwise known as the Southern Lights, is the lesser known counterpart to its famous alternative, the Northern Lights. It’s only the northern lights that are called the aurora borealis; the southern version is the aurora australis. One occurs near the south pole, and the others at the north. The Northern Lights have been described as a 'celestial ballet of light dancing across the night sky.' TO SEE THEM, YOU'LL HAVE TO GO PRETTY FAR SOUTH. Everyone knows about the Aurora Borealis, a.k.a. Travellers come from across the globe to witness the spectacular natural light display in the high-altitude Antarctic region. These solar winds interact with the gases in the southern atmosphere producing dazzling display of lights in the form if wisps, pillars, streaks and halos. The charged particles that cause the aurorae follow Earth’s magnetic lines, and scientists believed that they were distributed evenly to the poles where the lights are born. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In case this is the first you’ve ever heard of the Southern Lights, here are five facts you need to know. Aurora australis over Antarctica as captured by NASA's IMAGE satellite on Sept. 11, 2005 and superimposed onto NASA's satellite-based Blue Marble image. Many have made the pilgrimage to Norway and the like, to sit beneath the Arctic sky in hopeful wonder. The Southern Lights, commonly known as the Aurora Australis, is one of the world’s greatest wonders. Nikolai Østgaard and Karl Magnus Laundal wrote. The lights exist all year round, but unless there are favorable viewing conditions (read: darkness), they won't be easy to spot. Pink and green are the most common colours of the lights, although they can also be seen in … The International Space Station sits at the same altitude as the Northern Lights meaning astronauts can see the lights from the side. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Today I found out what causes the Northern and Southern Lights (aurora borealis and aurora australis respectively). the Northern Lights. “The asymmetry is interpreted in terms of inter-hemispheric currents related to seasons, which have been predicted but hitherto had not been seen.”. Southern lights, also called Aurora Australis, luminous atmospheric display visible in the Southern Hemisphere. Even if you’re at the southern tip of Chile or Argentina, or you’re hanging out on the Falkland Islands, you’re still not that close to the South Pole, which is where the lights will be brightest. Places like the Falkland Islands; South Georgia Island; Tasmania; and Stewart Island, New Zealand are about as close as you're going to get to the lights, unless you're willing to park yourself at the South Pole. Conversely, nitrogen atoms will give off a range from violet to a pinkish-red, depending on altitude. Auroras occur mostly in high latitudes, near the poles, because electrons … Here are our Top Ten Southern Ocean Facts for Kids with lots of useful info for school projects or to get inspired for your next travels. In our interview with Toussaint, he explained that it was the last song he recorded for the album, and it came in a flash. Practice Makes Perfect Northern Lights Pics. However, since the appear at the South Pole of the planet, it is very tricky to see them as the South Pole is far more inhospitable than the North Pole. The auroras —the aurora borealis (or northern lights) in the Northern Hemisphere, and the aurora australis (the southern lights) in the Southern Hemisphere—are brilliant natural spectacles that can be seen in the evening sky especially at higher latitudes. For years it was assumed by scientists that the Northern and Southern Lights were symmetrical, but that might not be the case. Here are some facts about the Northern Lights. The aurora australis is visible from high southern latitudes in Antarctica, Chile, … This was written and originally recorded by Allen Toussaint on his 1975 album Southern Nights. In the southern hemisphere, it is called Aurora australis, also known as the "Southern Lights". The Southern lights are much more elusive … This article was most recently revised and updated by … The lights can move south. Omissions? The Southern Lights or Aurora Australis offer the same visual display as the Northern Lights but since the South Pole is even more inhospitable and inaccessible than the North Pole, it is more difficult to view the Southern Aurora. Interesting The Aurora Facts: Particles too small to see with our eyes, called plasma, stream away from the Sun travelling at 1,000,000 mph (1,609,344 km/hr). In Southern hemisphere latitudes the effect is known as the aurora australis (or the Southern Lights). Corrections? Auroras are associated with the solar winds that flow past Earth. The Aurora Borealis, in the North, and the Aurora Australis, in the South, are two of the most exciting spectacles you can witness on earth. New Zealand is a great place to see the Southern Lights. Grab a copy of our NEW encyclopedia for Kids! southern lights. These dramatic and colorful lights are created when electrically charged particles from solar winds enter the Earth’s atmosphere and interact with gases in the atmosphere. Read here what you definitely should know about the Southern Ocean. Bluish or purple aurora lights might appear invisible to the naked eye, so certain specialized equipment or cameras may be needed to pick up on them. As their name suggests, the southern lights or aurora australis are visible in the southern hemisphere only. Aurora Borealis is one of the seven Wonders of the Natural World. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. These southern lights are called Aurora Australis, which are caused by the passing solar wind in the atmosphere of the southern polar region and then captured by the earth’s magnetic field. The scientific explanation for aurora australis is the same as its northern sibling aurora borealis. Interesting Northern Lights Facts: 11-20 11. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Updates? “Here we report observations that clearly contradict the common assumption about symmetric aurora: intense spots are seen at dawn in the Northern summer Hemisphere, and at dusk in the Southern winter Hemisphere,” study co-authors Nikolai Østgaard and Karl Magnus Laundal wrote. The Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, happens when the sun releases a massive burst of solar wind and magnetic fields into space, also known as CME (coronal mass ejections). An aurora is most visible during a geomagnetic storm in the South Pole, but if that storm isn’t strong enough to reach New Zealand or any other region to the north, chances are the light show won’t reach many, if any, human eyes. This atmospheric light show is caused by the collision between charged solar particles and the atoms in our own atmosphere, resulting in a swirling spectacle of colors for lucky viewers up north. Simply put, these lights are caused by very fast moving electrons striking atoms in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, primarily oxygen and nitrogen atoms which make up most of our atmosphere. Generally, the best months to spot the Northern Lights are from December through April, with the middle of northern winter being the ideal time (if you can deal with the cold). This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/science/southern-lights. 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