Sky Lights in the New Year . ... In this New Year's nightscape, the shimmering reddish curtains of aurora australis along a southern horizon are captured over Morgiana, SW Victoria, Australia. ... The southern Milky Way, Alpha and Beta Centauri, and bright stars of the Southern Cross are on the left. ... The bright star framed near the tips of tree branches at right is Achernar. Alpha star of the constellation Eridanus, Achernar is sometimes known as the southern end of the river . ...