Chase the rarely-seen Southern Lights with Oceanwide
Mysterious, ethereal, and a ghostly mirror image of the famous Northern Lights of the Arctic, the Southern Lights, or Aurora Australis, haunt the dark skies above Antarctica. This breathtaking natural spectacle is one of our planet’s true wonders, a glimpse beyond our world, a window into myth and legend, and the unfathomable depths of Outer Space.
On a standard expedition cruise to Antarctica, you may have the chance of witnessing this extraordinary phenomenon, especially if you visit toward the end of the season. However, with Oceanwide Expeditions, you can join several special, southern lights-focused trips that delve beyond the Antarctic Circle, making use of clear, dark skies to deliver an entirely otherworldly experience.
Oceanwide_Aurora
What are the Southern Lights?
Dancing across the night sky in vivid waves of green, pink, purple, and red, these ghostly lights are caused by interactions between the solar wind —charged particles from the Sun — and the Earth’s magnetic field. As these particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms, they release bursts of light that illuminate the night sky. While you can see the aurora with the naked eye, its spectacular colors truly appear when taking photographs or video.
Solar winds bursting out from the Sun (in an event called a Coronal Mass Ejection) carry charged particles into our upper atmosphere. Colliding and mixing with the Earth’s magnetosphere, these particles create waves or bursts of color depending on what kind of atmospheric particle they interact with (oxygen or nitrogen) and how high in the atmosphere they are when the collision occurs. Typically, below 100km we see hues of blue to violet, between 100 – 240km we see green, and over 240km we see red.
The aurora, myths, and legends
Both the Southern and Northern Lights have long been associated with myths and legends. Indeed, the name ‘aurora’ has its basis in Roman mythology. The god Aurora would herald the coming of each morning by flying through the night sky. In the north, populations across Europe, Asia, and the North American Continent had legends tied to the aurora, from the Inuit of Greenland and Canada to Native American tribes, to European and Eastern cultures.
The same is true of the Southern Lights. However, human habitation of the south has been much sparser, with the main aurora stories and myths being told by Polynesian peoples, the Māori of New Zealand, Aboriginal Australians, and indigenous populations of South America.
Witnessing the aurora is a human experience and connects us with the night sky, just as our ancestors did. In the modern world, many of us have lost our link with the stars and the wonders of the cosmos due to light pollution or the simple act of not looking up. On a Southern Lights expedition cruise to Antarctica, you’ll have the chance of witnessing something that few people see, in one of the Earth’s most remote and spectacular regions.
Oceanwide_whale watching
Oceanwide_whale watching
When & where can you see the Southern Lights?
The best time to witness the Southern Lights is during the winter months in the Southern Hemisphere when nights are the longest and the skies are the darkest. The Antarctica expedition cruise season typically runs between November and March. The early months of the season, October to January, do not offer good opportunities for spotting the aurora, as the days are long, nights brief, and the skies never fully dark.
Late-season expedition voyages to Antarctica are where you have the best chances of spotting the Southern Lights. Oceanwide Expeditions runs several late-season trips to Antarctica with a focus on chasing the Southern Lights. These trips typically venture further south in a bid to increase the odds of a ghostly performance in the skies above.
The Southern Lights are also visible from several remote locations outside of Antarctica, particularly in southern latitudes such as Tasmania and New Zealand’s South Island. However, the best place to experience them by far is the icy, dark depths of Antarctica. Travelers, photographers, and stargazers journey far to catch even a fleeting glimpse of the Southern Lights, and for good reason: they are not just a visual treat but a reminder of the incredible natural forces at play far beyond our tiny planet.
Southern lights_Copyrights Sara Jenner – Oceanwide Expeditions
View of Erebus and Terror Gulf_Copyright Pippa Low – Oceanwide Expeditions
Chase the Southern Lights with Oceanwide Expeditions
When conditions are right, the skies above may glitter and shine with the ethereal light of the aurora. You could join a trip specifically aiming to view the Southern Lights, typically running in March, building on the huge success of the 24/25 season. Guests were lucky to witness a rare red aurora display in the Bellinghausen Sea. This red glow, caused by atoms at altitudes around 300 km, is one of the rarest manifestations of the aurora. It is seldom observed in Antarctica and rarely from sea level, making this sighting especially remarkable.
In addition to the lure of the Southern Lights, an Oceanwide Expeditions voyage to Antarctica means the opportunity to live an authentic expedition experience, with dynamic activities offered on land and at sea, encounters with iconic Antarctic wildlife, and the chance to visit some of the most remote and seldom-trodden locations on Earth.
For wildlife enthusiasts, some of these late-season trips also coincide with the premium time for whale watching in Antarctica. A variety of whale species, from humpbacks & fin to blue and minke, are found in large numbers as they feast in the nutrient-rich water in preparation for their long migration, back toward the northern oceans.
In 2026 and 2027, Oceanwide Expeditions hopes to replicate the successes of this past season, with four expedition voyages set to take advantage of dark skies and infectious enthusiasm to search for something magical. Three of these trips are scheduled in 2026 and one in 2027.
PLA30-26 – Antarctica – Elephant Island – Weddell Sea – Polar Circle – Aurora Australis / Southern Lights
HDS30-26 – Antarctica – Whale watching discovery and learning voyage – Aurora Australis / Southern Lights
HDS31-26 – Antarctica – Beyond the Polar Circle – whale watching – Aurora Australis / Southern Lights
OTL29-27 – Antarctica – Polar Circle – Deep South Discovery voyage – Aurora Australis / Southern Lights
A Southern Lights trip in Antarctica offers something quieter, less commercialized, and insightful. Led by experienced guides, you’ll explore the wonders of our own world and peer into the murky depths of space. With Oceanwide Expeditions, you won’t just discover Antarctica – you’ll chase the raw beauty of the cosmos.
Antarctica_Polar Circle _Deep South Discovery voyage _Aurora Australis_Southern Lights
Antarctica_ Beyond the Polar Circle _whale watching _Aurora Australis_Southern Lights
About Oceanwide Expeditions
Oceanwide Expeditions offers authentic expedition experiences in both Antarctica and the Arctic, bringing guests closer to the heart of nature and making polar dreams a reality. For over 30 years, Oceanwide Expeditions has pioneered polar expedition cruising, championing operational flexibility, small-ship operations, and unforgettable experiences for its guests.
Don’t miss more updates, news and reviews about Oceanwide Expeditions on Cruising Journal.
