Antarctica bathed in dazzling colours in afterglow of Tonga eruption

The Antarctic sky in the ‘afterglow’ of the Tongan volcano’s January eruption. The colours – seen here from Antarctica’s Hut Point, looking north towards McMurdo station – are believed to be caused by a spike in aerosols hurled into the stratosphere. Photograph: Stuart Shaw/Fly on the Wall Images

The great white continent of Antarctica has been awash in dazzling pink and plum hues, thanks to the “afterglow” effect of the Tongan eruption.

The unusually fiery skies have already been reported across New Zealand and Australia in the past month, which scientists put down to a spike in aerosols that were hurled up into the stratosphere following the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption in January.