On a cold and clear morning, Andrea Evans from Girvan, photographed a unique view of the aurora australis lights.

Myall Coast News spoke with Andrea about her photographs.

“I was doubtful that the aurora australis lights would actually come up this far to northern NSW but it was a cold and clear night, no moon and the dust had settled and I took the photographs at 5am on 23 June and was very pleased with the result.”

These solar flares are best seen on a dark night, with no interference from sunlight, which is why the photos were starting to show a change of colour at around 6am.

Andrea has also taken photos of lightning, storm clouds and now these flares which are very impressive.

According to the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology site, Dr Murray Parkinson, a Duty Forecaster at the Australian Space Forecast Centre says,

“We’re now emerging from a period of solar maximum that began in 2011, and historical data show that some of the best auroras have occurred in the declining phase of the solar maximum.

“This suggests that the next two or three years should provide some of the best aurora viewing that we’ve had in Australia for many years.”

Andrea Evans’ photographs have appeared this week on Channel 10 Sydney with Tim Bailey, Prime and NBN.

It is common for these aurora australis lights to be seen in Tasmania and Victoria and Andrea has heard about people taking photos of these lights at Goulburn and Wagga Wagga but never this far north.

Andrea and her husband will be investigating with the Bureau of Meteorology about this.