The aurora australis as seen from Wyndham

The view from Red Cliffs lookout at Werribee South. (Beth Geronimo)407141_01

The aurora australis made for spectacular viewing on the weekend, with Wyndham providing one of the best vantage points in the country to see the sky light up.

Also known as the ‘southern lights’ the aurora australis is a geomagnetic storm that occurs when particles from the sun interact with atoms and molecules in the earths upper atmosphere.

Thanks to particularly strong ‘solar winds’ emitted by the sun in recent days, both the aurora australis and its norther hemisphere cousin, aurora borealis, have been putting on their best light shows in a decade.

With fine weather and a lack of light pollution, Wyndham was one of the best places to view the phenomenon as it turned the sky fluorescent yellow and green, hot pink and blood orange on Saturday and Sunday night.

The beaches of Werribee South and Wyndham Harbour proved especially popular viewing points for locals, many of whom were happy to share their photos with Star Weekly.