What is the difference between northern and southern lights?

Spoiler alert: both northern and southern lights are both types of Auroras. The main difference? One occurs near the south pole, and the others at the north. The scientific name for the northern lights is Aurora Borealis, while the scientific name for the southern lights is Aurora Australis.

What are the southern lights caused by?

Just like the northern lights, the southern lights occur when electrically charged solar particles and atoms in the Earth’s atmosphere collide with gases like oxygen and nitrogen, causing those gases to emit light.

How often can you see southern lights?

The Southern Lights are generally visible from March to September, when the nights are longer. The spring equinox (22 September) period is one of the prime times to catch the lights as well. Like its sibling up north, dark, clear nights are critical to catching the most vibrant sightings of the Southern Lights.

How long do the southern lights last?

Unlike Aurora Borealis, which is subject to extreme seasonal light changes, the Southern Lights can be viewed all year round – although most commonly during winter, May to August, and during the spring equinox in September.

When do the southern lights occur in New Zealand?

Unfortunately, the Southern Lights are not very predictable. They don’t run on a schedule. In fact, they tend to occur with only 30 minutes notice! Although auroras happen all year round, the best time to see them in New Zealand is during the winter months (March to September).

Can you see the Southern Lights in Dunedin?

Nevertheless, The Southern Lights have been known to light up the sky for Dunedin to see. The best places to catch a glimpse of the Auroras are at Hoopers Inlet on the Otago Peninsula. For more info, see The Complete Travel Guide to Dunedin.

What are the “Southern Lights?

This post was originally published in April 2018, and was updated in September 2020. What are the “Southern Lights?” What are the “Southern Lights?” Many people have heard of the northern lights but the southern lights exist too and are equally as amazing. The southern lights or aurora australis are only visible in the southern hemisphere.

Can you see the Northern Lights in New Zealand?

As the Southern Lights hang around the South Pole, it makes sense that the further south you go in New Zealand the more likely you are to see the lights. However, the stronger the aurora the further north you can see it.