Aurora australis: southern lights dazzle across New Zealand and Australia's east coast
The Milky Way with the aurora australis, also known as the southern lights, over Lake Ellesmere on the outskirts of Christchurch. Photograph: Sanka Vidanagama/AFP/Getty Images
A man takes photographs of aurora australis on the horizon over Lake Ellesmere in Lincoln on the outskirts of Christchurch. Photograph: Sanka Vidanagama/AFP/Getty Images
The aurora australis over Lake Ellesmere, New Zealand. Photograph: Grant Birley
People photograph the aurora australis on the horizon over Lake Ellesmere in Lincoln on the outskirts of Christchurch on 1 June. Photograph: Sanka Vidanagama/AFP/Getty Images
The aurora australis seen from Gerringong, in NSW. Photograph: David Metcalf/DJM Images
People observe the aurora australis, also known as the southern lights, over Lake Ellesmere on the outskirts of Christchurch. Photograph: Sanka Vidanagama/AFP/Getty Images
The aurora australis glows on the horizon over the waters of Lake Ellesmere on the outskirts of Christchurch in New Zealand. Photograph: Sanka Vidanagama/AFP/Getty Images
Paul Kerr was able to capture this stunning vista of the aurora australis from Canberra.
Photograph: Paul Kerr/Hold Still Photography
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Thousands without power as Hurricane Erin batters Caribbean & barrels towards US amid warnings storm will strengthen
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THOUSANDS were left without power after Hurricane Erin battered the Caribbean and hurtled towards the US - with the storm still expected to strengthen. The hurricane, which is now category 3, brought heavy rainfall and vicious winds to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Sunday, cutting power for some 100,000 locals. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 A truck drives through a flood as category 3 Hurricane Erin leaves the region in Naguabo, Puerto Rico Credit: AFP 6 Hurricane Erin from satellite view on August 17 Credit: Reuters 6 The storm left 100,000 people without power, reports say Credit: AP Luma Energy, Puerto Rico's private power grid operator, revealed that most of its customers on the island had working electricity by Sunday afternoon. The operator said on X: "As of 5:00 p.m., 92.5% of customers have electrical service. "The majority of affected customers are concentrated in the regions of Arecibo, Caguas, and San Juan, as the rain bands have been moving out of Puerto Rico." They added: "Our crews are working with precision to ensure safety and continuity of service." READ MORE WORLD NEWS MONSTER STORM Hurricane Erin intensifies to 'catastrophic' category 5 with 160mph winds The storm caused "multiple interruptions across the island", the company said earlier. Hurricane Erin also saw two divers swept amid powerful waves near St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. They had to be rescued by local crews on Sunday, authorities announced. Shocking footage showed taken by St. Croix Rescue Chief Jason Henry showed the divers being dramatically hauled over onto a boat. On the island of Sint Maarten, footage showed palm trees swaying in violent winds. Its local government said cleanup crews were clearing debris since Sunday morning. Hurricane Erin intensifies to 'catastrophic' category 5 with 160mph winds A large amount of Sargassum seaweed also reached the shore - which could contain harmful toxins poisonous to people and marine life. Erin has been labelled category 3 after multiple fluctuations in the last several days. On Saturday it was considered to be a catastrophic category 5 hurricane. Outer bands are continuing to sweep over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, pummelling coasts with heavy rain and strong winds. Rainfall was recorded between two and four inches. Up to six inches is likely to fall in some areas. Fears are mounting that this could lead to flash flooding or mudslides. 6 Large waves crashing in the Dominican Republic Credit: EPA 6 The storm caused major floods in some areas Credit: AP As of 5pm local time on Sunday, Erin was 275 miles north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It had maximum sustained winds of 125mph, and is reportedly currently moving west. Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón warned residents to stay home if possible. There are no reports of flooding on the island so far - but the worst weather is expected to impact the region within the next six hours, officials said. Terrifying footage on X also showed heavy rain falling in Cidra in central Puerto Rico on Sunday. The hurricane is expected to strengthen in the next two days before taking a north-ward turn on Monday and Tuesday. The storm is then forecast to gradually weaken through the middle and latter half of next week as it passes between the US and Bermuda. Tropical storm warnings have been issued in Turks and Caicos and the southeast Bahamas, according to authorities. In Sierra Bayamón, Puerto Rico, a suspension insulator broke and a conductor fell to the ground because of the stormy weather. Luma Energy also advised the public to avoid walking or driving through flooded areas, especially near downed power lines.
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Wildfires ‘out of control' in Spain as thousands evacuated and extra 500 troops deployed with holiday hotspots on alert
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RAGING wildfires are reportedly out of control in Spain - with thousands evacuated and 500 troops deployed across holiday hotspots. Terrifying infernos spread across Galicia, Extremadura, Castilla and León, and Asturias - sparking alarming high-level alerts across the regions. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Smoke rises as a wildfire rages near Ourense, Galicia, one of the worst-hit areas Credit: Reuters 8 Fires raging in Castrillo de Cabrera, in Castile and León Credit: AFP 8 The fires sparked mass evacuations Credit: AFP 8 Over 500 troops have been deployed to aid evacuation efforts Credit: AFP In Galicia, the fires burned over 50,000 hectares of land - the most ever burned during a wildfire in the region. The majority of the flames here ripped through the city of Ourense, wreaking havoc on locals and tourists alike. It was reported that 13 of the fires there are currently active as of Sunday evening, but several could become active again. In Castilla and León, there were reportedly 27 active forest fires on Sunday. READ MORE WORLD NEWS FIRE STORM Terrifying moment FIRENADO is whipped up in deadly Portugal fires Over 3,500 residents were forced out of their homes in the provinces of León, Zamora, Salamanca, and Palencia. There are a total of 21 active forest fires in the province of León - seven of which are category 2 and four of which are level 1. The wildfires are evolving irregularly, and all of them are being closely monitored for possible re-ignitions. A spokesperson for the regional government in León, Eduardo Diego, said the evacuation of the town of Castropetre had been agreed upon due to the Gestoso fire. This blaze reportedly spread from Ourense and has a very active front towards León. Meanwhile, the Jarilla fire tearing through Cáceres, in the heart of Extremadura, is "completely out of control", the president of the regional government María Guardiola said. Desperate moment Greek locals run into the sea to get on rescue boats as wildfires rip through dozens of residential regions This fire has already spread to the Port of Honduras and is only 7km from the provincial border of Salamanca. Castile and León has therefore been warned that the fire could enter its territory. In six days, the blaze has devastated 9,000 hectares of land. It sparked a mass evacuations in Gargantilla as well as a lockdown in Hervás on Sunday. The area is said to be very difficult to access, and 17 teams are currently working there. On top of this, Molina Ferrera was confined due to the Yeres/Llamas de Cabrera fire. 8 A man battles a wildfire in Veiga das Meas, northwestern Spain Credit: AP 8 People fight a wildfire in the village of Vilarino, in the Carballeda de Avia municipality Credit: AFP 8 Locals have been forced to flee their homes Credit: AFP A total of 12 towns have been evacuated due to this blaze, with 681 residents out of their homes. It comes as hundreds of dangerous and deadly wildfires have plagued Europe in recent weeks with dozens of holiday hotspots left ravaged. On Saturday, terrifying footage emerged showing the horrifying moment a fire tornado violently erupted in Portugal, killing a mayor in its blaze. Portugal's northern region of Aguiar de Beira was left burned on Friday as a fire tornado cascaded through the area. This rare phenomenon is formed in intense heat when the air surrounding a fire begins to rotate into a vortex. Portugal, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Italy and Bulgaria are all still reeling from the deadly fires that have sprung up this summer. Brits have been put on high alert over wildfires tearing through the popular holiday island of Tenerife in Spain. Just a couple weeks ago, a fire sparked in the north and continued to spread towards busy resorts in Santiago del Teide. Locals were ordered to evacuate the area and the island was put on red alert for the high risk of forest fires.
The Sun
21 hours ago
- The Sun
I had steamy holiday sex on a sofa then flew home to my loyal boyfriend – flings are what girls' trips are for
MUM-OF-TWO Bridget Zyka, 43, has spent the last two weeks in Ireland. The most spontaneous thing she has done with her two favourite males during her two-week break is taking her sons, Mateo, four and Conor, two, to soft play. 3 But that wasn't the case when she was single two decades ago. Bridget admits that faithfulness and fidelity were two words she crossed out of her vocab whenever she was on holiday. She says: 'There is something about boarding a flight and leaving work and your everyday world behind that means you get a free sex pass. "I was travelling round the world in my late twenties when I ended up in New Zealand. 'Before long I found myself loved up and in a long-term relationship with a Kiwi bloke. 'We'd been together for a year when this guy I'd had a flat share with in Canada got in touch and said he would be in Australia. 'The weather was crap in New Zealand at the time, so I went to meet this certain platonic mate on the Gold Coast in Oz. 'I also knew he fancied me but nothing had ever happened – before now. 'I booked a flight for a weekend and we arranged to meet up on one of the nights. 'We went for a drink and one thing led to another and I ended up back at his apartment. I'd bought a bottle of something strong at duty free and we started doing shots. 'It was a spur of the moment thing but we ended up having sex on the sofa. Spotting the signs your partner is cheating 'Would it have happened after a day in the office when I was back in London and working in IT? Of course not.' Bridget, today a body positivity coach, is happily married to Aldo, 39, a builder and they live in Hertfordshire. The couple met when they were both single in Covent Garden. Bridget, then 36, confesses such was the sexual attraction between them that they slept together on the first night. Nine years on Bridget reckons they're still 'very loved up' as a couple and faithfulness is the bedrock of their marriage. A fair cry from her younger self. 'When I woke up with my 'platonic' friend I was shocked with myself the next morning. I'm not someone who cheats and I don't have one-night stands either. But the sex was incredible. We were so compatible - it was like fireworks going off. 'When I flew back and saw my boyfriend waiting for me at the airport I did feel a bit guilty. 'But there was no way I was going to tell him. I can see now it was just a 'meh' relationship. I did end things with him not that long after. 'I'd like to say it was out of character for me but back then it wasn't. Cheating is what girly holidays were invented for! [And] if your other half goes on holiday without you, you can't be surprised if they're unfaithful. Bridget 'When you're single and have zero responsibilities you can do what you want – and I did. 'I have absolutely no regrets about being unfaithful while on holidays throughout my 20s and early 30s. 'If us women are honest with ourselves it is a rite of passage for all of us. 'I made sure I did everything I wanted to do before I settled down and left no sexual stone unturned.' Indeed, Bridget worked hard, played hard and travelled hard in her 20s and early 30s. She reckons she cheated on at least three boyfriends while on holiday during that time. 3 'Look, if you are fully committed to your soulmate, then it's never going to happen. But if the relationship isn't strong then of course the lethal ingredients of distance, sunshine and being in a different country means any temptation that comes your way is going to test even the most committed couple. 'You're coming face to face with gorgeous men on beaches and in bars; they often don't have many clothes on. Unless you are rock solid, then the odds of sex with someone who isn't your other half are very likely. "It's what girly holidays were invented for," she admits. 'It's why I cheated on another boyfriend while I went interrailing around Europe with a girlfriend. 'You get to reinvent yourself and do things you wouldn't do. 'Loads of friends have had flings, too. If your other half goes on holiday without you, you can't be surprised if they're unfaithful." Bridget says her cheating past is NOT something she discusses with her husband and she wasn't bothered if anyone posted about her antics online. 'I was too busy having fun to worry about whether anyone was taking sly pictures of me with someone's arm around me. I definitely wasn't stalking anyone's posts on social media. Life was – and still is – too short to worry about what other people say about me.' The Sun's Sex and Relationship Expert Dear Deidre's advice By Sally Land, The Sun's Sex and Relationship Expert There are plenty of reasons why people cheat and being in an unfulfilling relationship, feeling limited by our regular lives, having low self-esteem and simply not feeling ready for real commitment are likely the most relevant here. And while it's true that plenty of young people stray when they go on holiday, the same can also be true for older men and women also. Cheating on a girls' or boys' holiday is certainly not a given. It's true that long distance relationships are challenging to maintain and no matter how strong the relationship they often end when one partner meets someone who is geographically closer. But a holiday or mini-break isn't the same, if you're giving into temptation every time you pack your bags, you need to ask yourself if you're in the right relationship. Needing constant attention and being hooked on the thrill of the chase is another driver. If this sounds familiar, you'd do well to work on your own self-esteem and sense of security, otherwise this could develop into a lifelong pattern. And most people who have betrayed a partner while on a break do feel guilty. Often it's through behaving in a way that on reflection, we are uncomfortable with, that we learn about who we want to be and what our values are. For many it's only when we meet someone we truly love that all ideas of an exciting fling disappear - because the thought of jeopardising such a precious relationship is terrifying. If you'd like a second opinion email me and my team of counsellors for free and personalised advice: deardeidre@ Having waved goodbye to her hedonistic past, Bridget reckons that she will give the talk to her sons when they're old enough to have a relationship and start travelling independently. 'I will absolutely warn them to be careful and not take risks. I gulp at a lot of the silly things I did. You try to be responsible but it all goes out the window when the plane takes off. 'I will warn them about contraception being a man's responsibility, too. The last thing I want is for them to become a father in their late teens. And at the very least, I will tell them, 'If you can't be good, be careful.'"
