By . Daniel Mills . A collection of brightly coloured lights streaking across Australia's southern skies have been impressing sky watchers in Tasmania in recent months. The 'Southern Lights' can also be seen from Southern Victoria, New Zealand and Antarctica usually between March and September. It is the southern Hemisphere's equivalent to the Northern Lights. The mesmerising display of light-filled patterns, known as the Aurora Australis, is the result of a combination of natural forces occurring some 100km above the earth's surface. The streaks of greens, purples, reds and yellows are formed inside the Aurora Oval. This is where electrons emanating from the sun and gases in the upper atmosphere collide. The collisions produce electrical discharges which energise atoms of oxygen and nitrogen, causing the release of the multicoloured light seen in these pictures. Each colour is representative of a particular distance from the earth's surface, and the reason why Tasmanians are so best placed to view the spectacular light show is because of the state's location to the Earth's South Magnetic Pole. The best place to see an aurora is away from major urban light sources, on a clear, moonless night, when the Milky Way is clearly visible. There is no particular time frame of when Auroras occur, however the phenomenon could be as frequent as  once a month over the next two to three years as the sun cycle reaches its 12 year peak . Auroras usually last several hours, and are best viewed on clear and cold nights and can bee seen most prominently from polar latitudes . The average Height of an Aurora Australis event is between 50 to 100km above the earth and the most common colours are Pale green and pink. The Most common shapes are . spiral curtains, arcs, or streamers . The best place to see an Aurora Australis is in southern Victoria, Tasmania, Antarctica and New Zealand . During periods of high activity, a single auroral storm can produce one trillion watts of electricity with a current of one million amps . The global distribution of auroral activity is an oval around the magnetic poles in both hemispheres. The other major light phenomenon is the Aurora Borealis which occurs in the Northern Hemisphere . To see the lights at their best you need to get clear of city lights and have a good view to the south. The best time to see them is an hour or two either side of midnight. The light displays begin as a red glow on the horizon and can rise up to 20 to 30 degrees above the horizon, taking on a more familiar green colour . Like Tasmania in the south, the best places to watch the Northern Lights (in North America) are in the northwestern parts of Canada, particularly the Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Alaska. Hobart is the best place to view the lights because of its position in relation to magnetic south . The Aurora Australis is caused by plasma particles from the sun (part of the solar wind), which enter the atmosphere and collide with electrically charged particles .
The Aurora Australis or 'Southern Lights' is best seen in parts of Tasmania on a clear and cold night's sky .
It is the Southern Hemisphere's version of the Aurora Borealis or 'Northern Lights' best seen in North America .
The phenomenon occurs when electrons emanating from the sun and gases in the upper atmosphere collide .
The result is this illuminating spectrum of green, purple, yellow and red lights streaking across the sky .
By . Daniel Mills . A collection of brightly coloured lights streaking across Australia's southern skies have been impressing sky watchers in Tasmania in recent months. The 'Southern Lights' can also be seen from Southern Victoria, New Zealand and Antarctica usually between March and September. It is the southern Hemisphere's equivalent to the Northern Lights. The mesmerising display of light-filled patterns, known as the Aurora Australis, is the result of a combination of natural forces occurring some 100km above the earth's surface. The streaks of greens, purples, reds and yellows are formed inside the Aurora Oval. This is where electrons emanating from the sun and gases in the upper atmosphere collide. The collisions produce electrical discharges which energise atoms of oxygen and nitrogen, causing the release of the multicoloured light seen in these pictures. Each colour is representative of a particular distance from the earth's surface, and the reason why Tasmanians are so best placed to view the spectacular light show is because of the state's location to the Earth's South Magnetic Pole. The best place to see an aurora is away from major urban light sources, on a clear, moonless night, when the Milky Way is clearly visible. There is no particular time frame of when Auroras occur, however the phenomenon could be as frequent as once a month over the next two to three years as the sun cycle reaches its 12 year peak . Auroras usually last several hours, and are best viewed on clear and cold nights and can bee seen most prominently from polar latitudes . The average Height of an Aurora Australis event is between 50 to 100km above the earth and the most common colours are Pale green and pink. The Most common shapes are . spiral curtains, arcs, or streamers . The best place to see an Aurora Australis is in southern Victoria, Tasmania, Antarctica and New Zealand . During periods of high activity, a single auroral storm can produce one trillion watts of electricity with a current of one million amps . The global distribution of auroral activity is an oval around the magnetic poles in both hemispheres. The other major light phenomenon is the Aurora Borealis which occurs in the Northern Hemisphere . To see the lights at their best you need to get clear of city lights and have a good view to the south. The best time to see them is an hour or two either side of midnight. The light displays begin as a red glow on the horizon and can rise up to 20 to 30 degrees above the horizon, taking on a more familiar green colour . Like Tasmania in the south, the best places to watch the Northern Lights (in North America) are in the northwestern parts of Canada, particularly the Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Alaska. Hobart is the best place to view the lights because of its position in relation to magnetic south . The Aurora Australis is caused by plasma particles from the sun (part of the solar wind), which enter the atmosphere and collide with electrically charged particles .
coloured lights streaking across Australia's and September. It is the southern Hemisphere's equivalent to the Northern Lights. The known as the Aurora Australis, is the result of a emanating from the sun and gases in the upper atmosphere collide. The collisions produce on clear and cold nights and can bee seen most phenomenon is the Aurora Borealis which occurs in Lights (in North America) are in the northwestern