A "super massive" aurora is heading for New Zealand, with the light show expected to peak Thursday morning - possibly during the day.



On Wednesday morning, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) tweeted that a "super massive" aurora was expected to pass over the country.

An aurora is a light display in the sky, produced when high energy particles from solar wind or the sun hit the atmosphere, creating lights of different colours.



Aurora photographer Paul Le Comte says the latest forecast is the aurora could be at full strength tomorrow morning, possibly during the daylight hours, which will reduce visibility.