A long flight for Southern Lights

WELLINGTON - They took an eight-hour flight just to look out the airplane's window, but it was an extraordinary view.

A charter plane that left Dunedin, New Zealand, late on Thursday flew close to the Antarctic Circle to give the passengers an up-close look at the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights.

Otago Museum Director Ian Griffin came up with the idea. An astronomer, Griffin said he was inspired after seeing the Southern Lights while flying as a guest on a NASA observatory plane.