Explanation:
This
well-composed composite panoramic view
looks due south
from Banks Peninsula near Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island.
The base of a tower-like rocky sea stack is awash in the foreground,
with stars of the Southern Cross at the top of the frame
and planet Earth’s south celestial pole near center.
Still, captured on May 11, vibrant aurora australis dominate
the starry southern sea and skyscape.
The shimmering southern lights were part of
extensive auroral displays
that entertained skywatchers in northern and southern hemispheres
around planet Earth, caused by intense geomagnetic storms.
The extreme
spaceweather was triggered by the
impact of
coronal mass ejections
launched from powerful
solar active region
AR 3664.
Source: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240517.html
