Aurora Dreams Wind

Auroras occur when charged particles from the sun collide with the Earth’s atmosphere. Guided into the atmosphere and towards the poles by the Earth’s magnetic field, these particles are known as solar wind. As they enter the atmosphere they interact with gases such as oxygen and nitrogen, inducing ionisation. The ionisation process creates visible light with oxygen emitting green and red hues and nitrogen producing blue and purple tones. The outcome is a dynamic shimmering spectacle known as the northern or southern lights.

Eddies of Time

The cracks and crevices on this once majestic snow peppermint (Eucalyptus coccifera) tell of the challenges of life at altitude. The struggle to grow and survive in such an ecosystem, ended due to fire, ice or simply time, is shown in the swirling eddies of this time-worn timber atop Hobart’s sentinel, kunanyi/Mt Wellington. Just as it drew from the barren environment around it in life, this iconic Tasmanian tree gave back to the system that nurtured it, through its death. And so the cycle continues ...

Tannin Tarn

This photograph is of a branch submerged in tannin-stained water. Many Tasmanian plant species contain tannin compounds that help protect plants from herbivores, bacteria and fungi. As water moves across the landscape, it acts as a solvent to leach tannin from plant matter into the water. The characteristic rich amber colour is a feature of many lakes and rivers in Tasmania, particularly in the highlands and West Coast regions.

Ruby Bonnets

Cruentomycena viscidocruenta is a small species of agaric fungus, part of the Mycenaceae family, which often lives on rotting wood. The caps in this photo are the size of pin heads and can be found in Tasmanian rainforest. Most of the fungus is the unseen underground mycelium that make up a “mycorrhizal network,” connecting individual plants to transfer water, nitrogen, carbon and other minerals.

When Night Unfurls its Splendour

Like the bioluminescent mushroom, the blue glow in this little frog’s eyes and body is another type of natural luminescence. It occurs when a living organism has a chemical surface that absorbs light at one wavelength and re-emits it at another. There are many things that can fluoresce, including us.

Moments in the Mirror

Reflection is the phenomenon where light or other forms of energy bounce off a surface and return to the observer. Here, light waves hitting the bird’s image on the water’s surface bounce back to our eyes, creating a mirrored representation of the bird. Reflection is crucial in various scientific fields, from optics to acoustics, playing a fundamental role in understanding how waves behave when encountering different surfaces and mediums.

Welcome to Dreamland

A ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ event: a solar storm that took place over Australian skies in May, this year, comprised of protons and electrons moving past the Earth incredibly quickly. Trapped in the Earth’s magnetic field, they move to the magnetic poles. Forcing these atomic particles into the atmosphere, they strike atoms and molecules within. These particles enter a state of excitement and expel the energy by emitting light, creating spectacles like this fantastic display.

Mite on Bracken

Mites come in a dazzling variety of forms. However, few macro enthusiasts take the time to photograph them, probably because many species move incredibly fast and are very small. I was lucky enough to capture this mite (subfamily Callidosomatinae) climbing in dry undergrowth in the Hawley nature reserve in northern Tasmania.

Reviving Giants: hope for Tasmania’s Kelp Forests

This photo highlights the dedication of marine ecologists from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies as they seed giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, along various locations on Tasmania’s east coast. Their efforts bring hope to the region’s biodiversity, because kelp provides essential shelter and food for a variety of marine organisms.

Ocean warriors

Calcidiscus leptoporus - a coccolithophore found drifting in the Southern Ocean. Coccolithophores are single celled organisms which perform photosynthesis for the creation of energy, which in turn produces the oxygen that we breathe. They construct many intricate plates of armour - made of calcium carbonate - which they cover themselves with to protect their delicate internal cell from predation. This image was taken using a Scanning Electron Microscope, from a sample collected by the Southern Ocean Continuous Plankton Recorder program (SO-CPR).

Milky Way over Hobart City

Light pollution disrupts the natural balance of night and day, affecting towns and cities by obscuring the celestial spectacle of the Milky Way. Its pervasive glow alters ecosystems, effecting wildlife behaviour and habitats. Excessive artificial lighting wastes energy and disrupts human circadian rhythms, which can lead to health issues. This deprivation of natural darkness affects astronomy, education and cultural heritage, diminishing the awe-inspiring experience of gazing at the night sky.