Auroa Australis- The Southern Lights

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When I was young, I remember my Dad waking me up once at 2am in the morning to look at the night sky. I remember it was cold and dark but when I looked towards the south, the whole sky was a red haze. He told me it was the Auroa Australis or the Southern lights. What we could see was the lights above the Antartica. Despite being cold and tired it was amazing. I’ll never forget it.

This year the Auroa Australis shone in March and June the 24th. Did you see them? 
The closer people are to Antartica the more they can see, but still many Australians saw the lights even as far Central Australia.


Click on these links to see photos and videos

'Solar flare brings fiery night sky to much of southern Australia'

'Auroa Australis captured on social media'

Research

1. What causes the Southern lights to shine?
2. How often does this happen?
3. Does the Artic (North pole) also have lights? What are they called?

Descriptive writing

Look at the photos and watch you tube videos of the Auroa Australis. 
Prepare to write some descriptive writing. 
Imagine you are describing this to a person who has never seen an Auroa Australis.

1. What techniques can you use for descriptive writing?
2. Use you five senses and write what you hear and see. Imagine what you feel, smell and touch.
3. Language- use adjectives, simile or metaphor
4. Use different words to describe colour. i.e red = fuchsia, magenta, rose-coloured