Incredible auroras delight stargazers in New Zealand | Space photo of the day for June 2, 2025
Spectators are treated to a stunning sky show on the shore of Lake Ellesmere in Lincoln, New Zealand on June 1, 2025.
Waves of ionized gas glowing yellow, white and magenta filled the sky in New Zealand, as spectators take photos and witness the "southern lights" spectacle.
What is it?
Aurora Australis, or the "southern lights," occurs when particles ejected from the sun interact with Earth's atmosphere in the Southern Hemisphere (in the Northern Hemisphere, the phenomenon is called aurora borealis or the northern lights).
In this case, a strong geomagnetic storm, stemming from a coronal mass ejection (CME) impact on June 1, resulted in this sky show. The yellow, white and magenta hues are set off by the different types of gas molecules. For example, nitrogen particles set off the magenta or purple-red waves as seen in this photo.
Where is it?
The photo was taken near Lake Ellesmere in Lincoln, New Zealand, near Christchurch.
Why is it amazing?
This particular light show was not confined to New Zealand or the southern hemisphere. The strong geomagnetic storm behind the aurora affected areas across the globe, including in the Northern Hemisphere as far south as New Mexico and California.
Geomagnetic storms are ranked in strength on a 1 to 5 scale. Sunday's (June 1, 2025) storm was categorized a G4.
Want to learn more?
You can read more about aurora and the storm that resulted in this photo.
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Robert Pearlman is a space historian, journalist and the founder and editor of collectSPACE.com, a daily news publication and community devoted to space history with a particular focus on how and where space exploration intersects with pop culture. Pearlman is also a contributing writer for Space.com and co-author of "Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space” published by Smithsonian Books in 2018.In 2009, he was inducted into the U.S. Space Camp Hall of Fame in Huntsville, Alabama. In 2021, he was honored by the American Astronautical Society with the Ordway Award for Sustained Excellence in Spaceflight History. In 2023, the National Space Club Florida Committee recognized Pearlman with the Kolcum News and Communications Award for excellence in telling the space story along the Space Coast and throughout the world.
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