A geomagnetic storm lit up the skies over the South Island last night. Photo / Ian Griffin, Tūhura Otago Museum
A geomagnetic storm lit up the skies over the South Island last night. Photo / Ian Griffin, Tūhura Otago Museum
Kiwis were greeted by a mosaic of colours on the horizon last night as a severe geomagnetic storm lit up skies across the South Island.
According to the University of Otago’s Aurora Australis alert website, a high level of geomagnetic activity was forecast overnight as a solar storm released mattertowards Earth.
Aurora australis over Fortrose, southern Southland. Photo / Layton Findlater
The rare space weather event was visible in clear regions of the South Island, including Otago and Canterbury.
The Aurora Australis was visible over parts of the South Island last night, including Te Anau. Photo / Robert Taylor
Transpower issued a grid emergency notice ahead of the storm, explaining the special impact of space weather on power supplies.
“Space weather is when the Sun ejects plasma and other matter in Earth’s direction. These coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are rare, and most people won’t notice because our planet’s magnetic field shields us from particles.”
McCraken's Rest, Te Waewae Bay, in Southland. Photo / Edwin Mabonga
The resulting geomagnetic storms send currents that “have the potential to cause extensive damage” when they reach substation transformers or large hydroelectric dams.
Lines in the South Island were taken out of action overnight to protect critical infrastructure from the storm.
The Southern Lights over Te Anau. Photo / Robert Taylor
Last night’s display was caused by the second of three coronal mass ejections within the last 36 hours, Civil Defence New Zealand said.
