This was a night to remember! On the first night of this weeks Cradle Mountain photography workshop we were treated to a lovely display of the aurora over Cradle Mountain on a perfectly clear night.

Aurora over Cradle Mountain with the Milky Way rising – what a start to our week away!

Dove Lake was the place to be this evening, as the perfectly clear sky and still conditions allowed for perfect viewing. The Milky Way was rising in the south east, and the Magellanic Clouds were prominent too.

Aurora and Cradle Mountain – a classic combination!

The aurora was visible as a glow in the sky, and periodically there were beams – mostly only quite faintly visible to the eye – but there was one very prominent beam which only stayed visible for a couple of exposures.

Beautiful big beam over Cradle Mountain during Monday nights aurora

The vertical compositions were really nice this evening as the Milky Way, including the southern cross, was very prominent in the south east.

Southern lights over Cradle Mountain with the Milky Way

The aurora had a nice range of colours (visible in camera only) this evening, with pinky-purply over Marions Lookout and a more red colour over Cradle Mountain and Hansons Peak.

The aurora impersonating a rainbow!

These beams were a highlight photographically, and were visible to the naked eye too.

It was a very special experience, and made more so being part of a workshop. There was a nice social atmosphere down at the lake too, as many people made their way down for an unforgettable night.

Beautiful beams over Cradle Mountain. April 24, 2024

2023 continues to be a great year for the aurora, so I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for another nice display during my Freycinet winter light workshop in June!