Extract from ABC News
Photographers around Tasmania were treated to a spectacular light show overnight — both in the sky and in the water.
Key points:
- Aurora australis and bioluminescence treated photographers to a spectacular light show on Sunday night
- The aurora australis occurs when high energy charged particles from the Sun, like electrons, enter the Earth's atmosphere
- Bioluminescence is caused by a chemical reaction
The aurora australis was captured at several sites around Hobart including South Arm, Howden and Taroona.
Clear skies provided perfect viewing conditions, with photographers excitedly taking to social media to share their snaps of the purple and green dancing lights.
Some also managed the "dazzling duo" — capturing both the southern lights and bioluminescence in the water.
Tim Grimsey wrote: "Last night Tasmania was treated to a magnificent aurora australis. Huge naked-eye beams and so much colour."
Sophie Fazackerley wrote: "Wowee! The #aurora came out to play! It's been a while since the last strong moonlit aurora."
The mysterious, naturally occurring phenomenon, happens when high energy charged particles from the Sun, like electrons, enter the Earth's atmosphere.
They're most likely to happen during a geomagnetic storm, but the Bureau of Meteorology said the degree of geomagnetic activity was only moderate overnight.
It appears "aurora chasers" just got lucky with a particularly clear night, naked-eye beams, and plenty of colour.
Bioluminescence is caused by microscopic plankton.
Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies aquatic botany Professor Gustaaf Hallegraeff said it was first spotted in New South Wales coastal waters in the late 1800s.
"To the best of our knowledge, nobody had ever seen it in Tasmania prior to the 1990s," he said.
He said the light was caused by a chemical reaction.
"It may function as a burglar alarm, because there's a lot of organisms that might like to eat it … then it's agitated by some physical irritation, vibration and it produces this flash," he said.
He said the best places to see it in Tasmania were Preservation Bay in the north, Bicheno on the east coast, and Eaglehawk Neck, South Arm, Bruny Island, Hinsby Beach, Nutgrove and Rosny in the south.
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