Southern Lights or Aurora Australis

The Northern Lights big counterpart in the south

The Southern Lights are nowhere near as famous as the Northern Lights, but they should be. The best places to see them are Antarctica, New Zealand and Patagonia. You do need a bit of luck, as you won't get clear skies every night.

Southern Lights Flight

It was the first Southern Lights Flight ever. On March 23 2017, a plane took off from Dunedin (New Zealand with destination Aurora Australis. Passengers were window-seated and waiting for one of the biggest lights festival on earth.

Where can I see the Southern Lights?

Aurora australis in New-Zealand.

New Zealand is one of the best accessible places to encounter the Southern Lights. Not only from a plane but also from the ground. Another good place is Antarctica, due to its low light pollution. 

Especially in winter, you can often see the Southern Lights in Antarctica at night time. In Patagonia, you can see it every now and then and in Australia you can occasionally see it on the horizon. 

Best time to see the Southern Lights

The Southern Lights can be best seen between March and September. This is different from the Northern Lights, where the best time is between September and April. There are fewer apps and websites you can consult for the right information. 

The Southern Lights colour the sky red, while the Northern Lights are often green. But you can also see green here, or (rarely) yellow, white or blue. So if you’re around this area in winter, make sure to look out the window every now and then. 

This is what the Southern Lights look like from space.

Net als bij het Noorderlicht kleurt dan de lucht groen. Maar ook hier kun je rode kleuren verwachten, al komt dat niet al te veel voor. Of (zelden) geel, wit of blauw. Als je hier dus in de winter bent kijk ’s avonds af en toe naar buiten.

Tips for photographing the Southern Lights

It’s not easy to capture this magical phenomenon on camera. You’ll need to know a thing or two about photography and cameras. You can find tips from professionals on how to best capture it on the internet, so you can make your own lasting memento. 

But you’ll definitely need a tripod, a fast lens (1.4 or 2.8), and a shutter time of about 16 to 20 seconds. And lots of patience.

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