The Aurora Lights Up Sky In New Zealand

A man is looking at the Aurora Australis as it illuminates the night sky above the waters of Lake Ellesmere on the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand, on December 1, 2023. The Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, is a natural phenomenon of vibrant natural lights caused by solar activity, particularly a coronal mass ejection that sends charged particles and gas into space. These particles typically take three days to reach the magnetic field lines at the north and south poles before entering the atmosphere. Upon entering, the energy and particles combine with atmospheric gases to create a spectrum of colored lights in the sky. (Photo by Sanka Vidanagama/NurPhoto via Getty Images)