Recently, a remarkable display of the aurora australis was witnessed on Wellington's southern coast. Chris Harrington-Lines, a budding photographer and astronomer, spent the night capturing the breathtaking scene. Most people were still asleep when Chris arrived at Island Bay, where he was taken aback by the stunning vista. He had received a notification from the Glen Rea application, which is ideal for those who are passionate about viewing the aurora. Chris arrived at Island Bay around 10 pm, just as the aurora borealis began to make its appearance. He set up his camera, hoping to capture some astonishing images. Although he hadn't expected anything extraordinary, the photos turned out to be his favorites. The aurora was very vivid, and according to reports, it could be seen as far north as Hamilton. Chris mentioned that he had missed the aurora in May due to cloudy weather, but this time, the sky was clear, and the aurora was breathtaking. Typically, particles from solar flares bounce off the Earth's magnetic field, but when a severe eruption occurs, they can pass through the ionosphere and interact with the gas surrounding the magnetic poles, creating a colorful display. The geomagnetic storm on Sunday had reached a level of G3 (the highest being G5). Chris spent the night until 3 am, gazing up at the stars, and wasn't keen to venture out again to take more photos. 'I don't know if I can last another night,' he said. The aurora borealis is a rare and awe-inspiring sight, and Chris was fortunate to have captured it so vividly.