Tasmanians were treated to a bright display of the Aurora Australis overnight, painting the sky in green and red.
Often referred to as the Southern Lights, the natural light show was visible across the entire state from around 9pm on Monday.
Social media was quick to light up with excitement as people shared photos of the ‘late night surprise’.
Both enthusiasts and amateur photographers managed to capture the vibrant green and pink hues.
“When the action started, it was so cloudy I feared it may not be possible to see it,” one photographer said.
“But alas, the sky cleared and the lady put on a big show.”
The Southern Lights are the result of solar winds interacting with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere, creating vibrant colours that illuminate the night sky.
“Auroras can occur at any time of year but are most likely to occur during March and September, which is when the Earth’s magnetic field is best oriented to interact with the solar wind,” the Bureau of Meteorology said.
“To see an aurora, you need a dark night with little cloud cover. Bright auroras usually last for 1–3 hours and the best viewing time is usually between 10pm and 2am.”
The Bureau issues an Aurora Watch notice online when solar wind conditions “look favourable” for auroras.
