A host of sky gazers and enthusiast in New Zealand and Australiagathered to watch the amazing Aurora Australis, which includes a display of spectacular lights in the sky.

Experts said that such natural phenomenon is common in the Northern Hemisphere but is rare in the southern half of the world. The Aurora Australisoccurs when solar winds from the sun touch the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Several people stayed outdoors to watch the natural phenomenon even withstanding very cold weather. The lights transformed the night sky above the countries. Watchers said that the sky lit up with a host of colours including red, blue, purple and green that created a spectacular scene in the deserted landscape.

Dr Murray Parkinson, a Duty Forecaster at the Australian Space Forecast Centre, said, “We're now emerging from a period of solar maximum that began in 2011.Historical data show that some of the best auroras have occurred in the declining phases of the solar maximum, which is more conducive to faster solar wind and intense geomagnetic activity.”

He also said that there will be some of the best aurora viewing during the coming two to three years in the country.