aurora australis

noun

aurora aus·​tra·​lis -ȯ-ˈstrā-ləs How to pronounce aurora australis (audio)
-ä-ˈstrā-
: an aurora that occurs in earth's southern hemisphere

called also southern lights

Examples of aurora australis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For years, scientists assumed that aurora borealis and aurora australis would mirror each other. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 31 Jan. 2019 Depending on the hemisphere, the aurora may go by a different name: aurora borealis, or northern lights in the Northern Hemisphere, and aurora australis, or the southern lights in the Southern Hemisphere. Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024 In the Southern hemisphere, the phenomenon is known as the aurora australis, or southern lights. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2024 The aurora borealis and the aurora australis (the Southern Hemisphere’s version of the northern lights) occur when energized particles emitted from the sun during periods of high solar activity slam into the Earth's magnetic field. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 13 Jan. 2024 The auroral light shows that appear in the sky near Earth’s poles — aurora borealis in the North, aurora australis in the South — have captivated humans for centuries and contributed to mythology around the world. Brianna Barbu, Discover Magazine, 6 Aug. 2021 The aurora australis lights up the dark sky above the South Pole. Discover Magazine, 15 Aug. 2017 The aurora australis lights up the winter sky over the U.K.'s Halley research station. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 11 Apr. 2015 The northern lights occur in the northern hemisphere, while the same phenomenon in the southern hemisphere is called the aurora australis, or the southern lights. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aurora australis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, literally, southern dawn

First Known Use

circa 1734, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aurora australis was circa 1734

Dictionary Entries Near aurora australis

Cite this Entry

“Aurora australis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aurora%20australis. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

aurora australis

noun
aurora aus·​tra·​lis -ȯ-ˈstrā-ləs How to pronounce aurora australis (audio)
-ä-ˈstrā-
: a display of light that is the same as the aurora borealis but occurs in the southern hemisphere

called also southern lights

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!