VIVID AURORA IN N.S.W.

Chronicle (Levin), 29 March 1946, Page 5

VIVID AURORA IN N.S.W.

~ THOUSANDS WATCH DISPLAY * j COMMUNICATIONS AFFECTED j Reeeived .Friday, 10.45 a.m. j SYDNEY, March 29. A spectapnlar display of Aurora Australis was' s,een by thousands of people in southern New South Wales last night between 7.15 p.m. and midnight. A blaze of alternauing blue and green light illuminaied the southern sky. j The Commonwealuh Observatory staff at Mount Strombo, led by the CommQfiwealth Astronomer, Dr. Woplley,' watched the phenomenon from soon after sundown. ' Dr. Woolley said it was the best , specimei} of aurora he had seen since lieVas in Britain in 1938. "On that occasipn ^n Aurora Borealis j cbvered tbe skies of Europe. Norm- | ally one had to go tp the southern tip of New Zealand to have the good. luck pf an Aurora Australis." Reception of wireless messages to Australia became impossible beeause of static. ( No cables hayp been reeeived from London or New York since early last night. The Aurora Australis and sunspqts completely blacked out the beam and cables were also affected. Display Seen Locally The display was seen locally in particularly vivid form, and also at Palmerston North, Shannon and Otaki according to reports from those towns. Bad dislocation of , telegraph circuits using an earth returp was reported, w]lile overgeas . radip stg^iqns cpuld hQt be heard.