Win a seat to the Southern Lights on an aurora looking constitution flight – NZ Herald

A journey firm is gearing as much as ship New Zealand’s most formidable scenic constitution flight in years, and so they’re providing a seat free of charge.

Packing an Air New Zealand Dreamliner with aurora hunters and astrological specialists the Southern Lights flight departs from Christchurch Airport subsequent month with an nearly assured sighting of the Aurora Australis.

The legendary Southern Lights are famously illusive. The reliance on cloud-free heavens and photo voltaic flares imply they’re not often seen within the skies over Southern New Zealand. Most have by no means witnessed the auroras. Nevertheless the tour firm Viva Expeditions has stacked the percentages within the favour of the flyers.

Travelling above the cloud line, and timed for the Autumn Equinox on 21 March viewing circumstances will likely be excellent.

Led by Otago College’s celeb astrophysicist Dr Ian Griffin, the astronomer says the flight will profit from the Russell McPherron impact which is noticed in the course of the equinox. Throughout this era interaction of interplanetary magnetic fields create “home windows” into area – via which the aurora is noticed at its most vivid.

The coincidence of the Autumn equinox and a brand new moon was a chance too good to move up.

“Flying into the Southern auroral zone is a superb expertise,” stated Dr Griffin, who flew with the primary industrial ‘aurora looking’ flight out of Dunedin in 2017. “You by no means know fairly what you’re going to see.”

Fares on the airplane price between $1195 and $6995 for Enterprise-class service. Nevertheless, one visitor will likely be flying free of charge.

The Firm is giving freely one ticket aboard the Southern Lights flight by raffle. Entries should apply by 2 March and have the ability to journey from Christchurch on 21 March, with winners drawn on 3 March.

To enter and for additional particulars, see vivaexpeditions.com