Sara Nesteriak captured the unpredictable Aurora Australis recently.
Camera IconSara Nesteriak captured the unpredictable Aurora Australis recently. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Mandurah photographer captures rare Aurora Australis

Rachel FennerMandurah Coastal Times

Sara Nesteriak said she had been chasing the unpredictable auroras for about “a year or so”.

“I think I’ve tried about six times or so and last night Perth Weather Live posted saying they were active, so I raced down to the back of South Yunderup where I live,” she said.

“The whole time out there I wasn’t sure if I was getting it or not, but after processing the images and fixing the balance in the image… bam!”

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It is rare to capture Aurora Australis this far north and most photographers head to Tasmania or Antarctica to capture them.

The aurora happens when the sun releases a burst of solar wind and magnetic fields into space.

Solar winds contain particles which interact with the Earth’s magnetic field.

When the particles and the field collide, they produce energy which appears as auroras.

Ms Nesteriak said they could not be seen with the naked eye.

“These image were taken over a 30-second exposure,” she said.

“In the past, people have captured the aurora as far north as Perth.”

Amateur astronomers and photographers can head to www.aurora-service.net to find out when the auroras will appear next.

To check out more of Ms Nesteriak’s photography, head to her Facebook page.