Central Hawke’s Bay skies lit up with aurora lights

Hawke’s Bay Today photographer Paul Taylor was in Ongaonga and Tikokino, Central Hawke’s Bay, to snap 'bucket-list' images of the aurora. Photos / Paul Taylor

Hawke’s Bay astronomer Gary Sparks says Saturday’s night sky “lit up like a fireworks display”.

Standing in his garden at about 9pm, the aurora-hunting veteran of two decades said the sheer strength of aurora australis took him by surprise.

“To see the aurora so vividly and far north as this is extremely rare,” Sparks said.

Hawke’s Bay Today photographer Paul Taylor was out in Ongaonga and Tikokino, Central Hawke’s Bay. Photos / Paul Taylor

“It was just about as impressive as you will ever see it from Hawke’s Bay.”

Auroras result from magnetosphere disruptions by solar wind, altering charged particle trajectories from the sun.

These particles then rise into the upper atmosphere, creating colourful displays.

Hawke’s Bay Today photographer Paul Taylor braved a chilly night to capture these images of the aurora australis. Photos / Paul Taylor

“The sun goes through an 11-year cycle of activity. It just so happens the sun is approaching the peak of its 11-year cycle,” Sparks said.

“At the peak of that 11-year cycle, we’re more likely to see this kind of activity than we are at other times.”

Sparks said that the volume of material from the sun was a key factor in the longevity of aurora.

“It’s hard to predict how long these effects will last,” he noted.

Paul Taylor says the aurora was a “bucket list” opportunity for a photographer. Photos / Paul Taylor

“Usually, these things only last one or two nights, but this one had been more persistent due to the sheer volume of material that the sun has blasted off.”

Sighting the aurora also depends on how much cloud is around and how much light pollution there is.