Night photographers and stargazers across Western Bay of Plenty are buzzing, following a display of the Aurora Australis on Monday night.

Blissful Photographer Jessica Barnes captured the lights from her backyard in Te Puke.

“I saw a couple of posts in the Aurora Facebook group,” says Jessica.

“I captured the aurora at 12.52am.”

She says her photo of the Southern Lights which Aurora Australis is also known as, taken from Jellicoe Street, was looking south toward N.o. 1 and N.o. 2 Roads.

“I went out to Ohauiti and captured it from there as well, but it wasn’t as good.”

She says she could see the lights from 12.30am – 2.30am on Tuesday morning.

“But I was aware that it was captured by photographers up until around 5am.”

This rare display of shimmering lights dancing across the southern horizon is a spectacle rarely seen in New Zealand. It is helped by an exceptionally large group of sunspots that have been active in recent days, unleashing several earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections, also known as CMEs.

The Aurora Australis is a celestial dance of light caused by the interaction of charged particles from the solar wind with interplanetary magnetic fields and atmosphere.

These charged particles, mainly electrons and protons, collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, producing vibrant hues of green, pink, purple, and red that paint the night sky.

The Aurora Australis was visible over Tauranga in May 2024 with the sky lit up as stunning and mostly fuchsia-coloured lights danced across the horizon.

Jessica, who has been photographing the night sky “on and off for about three to four years” also photographs motorsports, events, and weddings.

She took Monday night’s photograph with a 30-second exposure.

“But my mobile phone also captured it with a half a second exposure which shows how strong it was as usually you’d need a bit longer to capture it.”

She says conditions are not looking good for the Aurora Australis to return tonight, Tuesday, August 13.

“But conditions can change. I took a photo last night at 9pm which wasn’t as good but then conditions changed. They can change quickly.

“Patience and luck are the two things you need.”