NIWA - the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research - said it had been flooded with messages from people asking about the vibrant purple and orange hues lighting the sky.
NIWA colleagues at the Lauder Atmospheric Research Station in Central Otago confirmed their LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) instrument had been picking up unusual increases in aerosols in the stratosphere, about 20km to 25km above New Zealand.
It was thought the aerosols were the cause of the remarkable skyscapes being spotted around the country lately, NIWA said in a statement.
