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| Chasing the Southern Lights |
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| Aurora displays are generally best viewed on moonless nights, away from light pollution |
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| The long exposure technique used to capture these star trails and the aurora over Betsy Island in south-eastern Tasmania also causes the aurora's normal green colour to take on a yellow hue in the resulting photograph. Although digital cameras have made photographing displays much easier, capturing true colour is still a challenge. |
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| Aurora displays have two main colours visible to the human eye, green and red. As electrons enter the Earth's atmosphere they collide with gas particles, which glow different colours when stimulated by the collision. |
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| The curls in this aurora seen over Howden, in southern Tasmania, show the interaction between currents in the upper atmosphere and the Earth's magnetic field. |
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| Generally the best views of aurora activity are to the south. This photo was taken from a popular surfing, fishing and aurora-watching spot near Hobart. |
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| Each aurora display is different. Often all that is visible is a hazy glow towards the southern horizon, but more spectacular displays may include fast-moving curtains, beams and strobes. |
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| Auroral displays vary in intensity according to the power of the CME that causes them. Some CMEs are strong enough to disrupt power grids and interfere with radio communications. |
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