See what it's like to fly through stunning Southern Lights
Digital Reporter
Friday, March 24, 2017, 7:16 PM - Passengers aboard an eight-hour Air New Zealand charter flight were greeted to stunning views of the southern lights.
The Boeing 747 departed Dunedin, New Zealand at 9 p.m. Thursday, travelling about two-thirds of the way to the South Pole, as far as latitude 62 degrees south, according to Otago Museum director Dr. Ian Griffin who led the expedition.
"Nobody has ever really done that before," Griffin told BBC. "This was a world first. People have done it in the northern hemisphere. The aurora doesn't just appear in specific locations, it can move around a bit, and we were trying to chase it across the Southern Ocean, which was quite fun."
The equinox provided 12 hours pf darkness, which gave all 150 passengers a guaranteed view of the Aurora Australis.
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"Our lives are forever altered by this incredible experience and we are eternally grateful to have been a part of this remarkable event," passenger Roz Charlton posted on Facebook.
The amazing experience came with a hefty price tag. Tickets were sold in pairs, with two economy seats at NZ$3,950 ($3,713 CAD) and two business-class seats at NZ$8500 ($7,990 CAD).
Organizers hope to schedule another flight in 2018.
Aurora borealis and aurora australis occur when high energy particles released from the sun (solar flares) collide with the Earth's atmosphere. Their colour variety results from the presence of different types of gas particles, and the colour of an aurora is dependent on the wavelength of light that's emitted.
It's the earth's magnetic field that directs the photons towards the poles, which is why it's most commonly viewed either in the north or south.
SOURCE: BBC
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