Rare red glow lights up Aurora Australis for Oceanwide Expeditions

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Passengers aboard Oceanwide Expeditions’ Antarctica – Beyond the Polar Circle – Wilkins Ice Shelf – Aurora Australis voyage were treated to an extraordinary sight on the night of 25-26 March 2025, when the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, lit up the Antarctic sky in a breathtaking display. Adding to the rarity of the event, a deep red glow appeared alongside the familiar green aurora, creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those onboard.

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The sighting occurred during a deep-field expedition aboard the m/v Ortelius, navigating the seldom-visited Bellingshausen Sea and Marguerite Bay. Guided by renowned astronomers Dr. Tyler Nordgren, retired professor of astronomy and physics at the University of Redlands, and Dr. Julie Rathbun, Senior Research Associate at Cornell University and member of NASA’s Europa Clipper Mission science team, the guests watched as the aurora’s green curtains shimmered across the sky. This was followed by the rare appearance of a crimson arc, faint but unmistakable, glowing above the horizon. The red glow, caused by excited oxygen atoms at altitudes of about 300 km, is one of the rarest forms of aurora. “To see how all our hard work paid off and to share that with everyone on board was the biggest pleasure an astronomer can have,” said Dr. Nordgren.The sight was made even more exceptional by the expedition’s timing, as the sun is currently at the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, resulting in heightened solar activity and more frequent auroras. Selam Mulugeta, a guest onboard, captured the essence of the experience: “Seeing the aurora is a bit like hallucinating. You are not exactly sure what you are seeing, but you do know that it is real.”

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