A new Australia post stamp release celebrating the Southern Lights, the spectacular atmospheric phenomenon that create rainbow like light displays in the southern Tasmanian skyline at night has been released.
Australia Post Philatelic Manager, Michael Zsolt said the stamp designs included colourful photographs that capture the unique and naturally occurring auroras taken in Tasmania.
“The new stamp release celebrates a true wonder of nature – Southern Lights, formally known as the Aurora Australis, which light up the night sky and are an astounding sight for those fortunate enough to witness them,” Mr Zsolt said.
Mr Zsolt Auroras originate from interactions between charged particles ejected from the Sun’s atmosphere and the Earth’s magnetic field. Zsolt added that the main discernible forms of aurora are a diffuse glow, arcs and curtains that stretch from east to west as well as rays that may run upward from the horizon. The most commonly seen colours are green, red and violet. Sometimes the lights move and change fairly quickly and sometimes they are stable for hours.
Zsolt pointed out that the Southern Lights are best seen from the islands of the Southern Ocean, such as Macquarie Island, as well as Antarctica. In Australia, they are occasionally observed in the southern skies of Tasmania.