Keen photographers and stargazers have taken to social media to share a glimpse of the extraordinary lights of Aurora Australis which lit up over the southern Illawarra on Friday night.
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Woonona resident David Bradley was among those who shared a shot - his taken from Gerroa Headland and captured about 11.30pm after being alerted that there might be some activity via a Facebook group dedicated to hunting down the phenomenon.
He said his picture was better than what he was able to capture in May, when rain clouds prevented Illawarra residents seeing much activity from a rare geomagnetic storm which meant the Southern Lights could be seen much further north than usual.
However, he said the camera made the lights on Friday look more spectacular than it had to the naked eye.
"It wasn't as visible to naked eye as the one in May with just a hint of red on the horizon," Mr Bradley said.
"But cameras are so much sensitive to pick up these things.
"I think people can be disappointed thinking they going to see these big vibrant light shows like see on Facebook but in reality needs to be a big event even for it visible this far north.
"Normally Tasmania and Victoria that get all the luck."
For other people keen to capture a glimpse of the lights, Mr Bradley said it was sadly a luck of the draw.
"While it occurred last night could be days, weeks or even months before we get another one with conditions to see it this far north," he said.
He said people could keep an eye on social media groups, and mostly just needed to be in the right place at the right time.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
