Auroa Australialis (Southern Lights) and star gazing

[ant7jen]

Are the Aurora Austrialis common site to see in New Zealand?

Also, how is the star gazing? Here in the US, there is so much light polution being close to a big city, that you can't appreciate the stars like you can out in the rural areas.

[wwwdot]

Are the Aurora Austrialis common site to see in New Zealand?

Also, how is the star gazing? Here in the US, there is so much light polution being close to a big city, that you can't appreciate the stars like you can out in the rural areas.

Kiwi husband has seen the Southern Lights once from Central Otago but believes they are very rare. I, as a Finn, see the Northern Lights very often back home but that's obviously much further north than NZ is south.

Apparently according to my husband, rural areas and especially Central Otago is good for star gazing. I love the activity myself...I could stare ate the night sky for hours

[Andy-Dee]

Have seen the Northern lights in Sweden and found star grazing in NZ amazing. We were particularly stunned when we stayed in Arthurs Pass in South island - gorgeous.

[wiki]

I haven't seen the Aurora Australis since I've been back, but saw them four times when I was a kid in Southland - so they're there, but not as often as Northern Lights. You need to have the right sort of night and atmospheric conditions and I think they're more prevalent in the south.

Down her in Invercargill you get a great view of the stars, including a lovely knotted Milky Way which always seems so close to the earth.

There's a place called Tekapo which is inland and south from Christchurch which is said to have the clearest skies in NZ. It's got an observatory (called Mt John i think if you want to Google it) and I can attest that the skies there are amazing. (Plus they have hot pools over looking the lake so you can sit in those at night and star-gaze. Breath-taking.

I've also been lucky enough to see Aurora Borealis on Orkney and in the Arctic Circle - they're much brighter and more active than their southern cousins, but Australis is very much worth seeing.
Best of luck

[tigerlily]

We enjoy star gazing here in our neighborhood of Wellington! It's on the back side of a hill, so we don't get the lights of downtown, and the stars are much brighter here than they ever were in the US. Could just be my rose tinted glasses though.

[benandclare]

Stars very clear from here in suburban Christchurch

[Moorf]

Also very clear from here in inland Canterbury... When we moved to rural Scotland we were blown away by the stars, but here... well... words can't really describe it. If it weren't so bloomin' chilly I'd be on my back in the garden at night more.

[mgbridges]

If it weren't so bloomin' chilly I'd be on my back in the garden at night more.

But in reference to the question at hand... I think the stars here on the North Shore in Auckland are pretty wonderful as even though we're in a big city the light pollution doesn't seem as bad as it was in London. Or maybe its that the air pollution isn't so bad? Either way in the summer I love being on my back in the garden...



... star gazing!

Anneliese

[ant7jen]

Thanks for the responses.

I am currently 10 minutes from Nashville,TN and the light pollution is pretty bad for star gazing. Growing up as a kid, I lived 30 minutes from Nashville and the light pollution wasn't bad at all and I could see a lot more than now. I was fortunate enough to go to Iceland during my Navy days and see the Northern Lights, but only 4 times. It truly was THE most beautiful thing to behold that nature can offer, in my opinion. I am glad to know that if we make the move to New Zealand, that we at least will have a small chance to see it.

I saw a video clip on youtube and had to ask if they were there or not.

[NZ Hopeful]

There was a programme on tv last night with Joanna Lumley and she was in search of the Norther Lights, it looked absolutely amazing, it's on my list of things to do before I die!