Aurora Australis Alert: See the Southern Lights Tonight
Grab your jumper and head outside—tonight could bring a spectacular view of the Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, if conditions align.
Alert from Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre
The Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) has issued an Aurora Alert indicating an ongoing geomagnetic storm. This means the conditions are favorable for spotting the aurora in high-latitude regions of Southern Australia.
Where and When to Watch
- Best locations are as far south as possible, away from city lights.
- Tasmania and New Zealand’s South Island offer the highest chances.
- Mainland Southern Australia (Victoria, southern New South Wales, South Australia) might also see the display with very dark skies and low light pollution.
- The optimal viewing window is generally from 10pm to 2am local time.
- The aurora usually lasts between 1 and 3 hours.
- Check the ASWFC’s auroral oval tool to see if your latitude tonight falls within the “equatorward visibility line.”
How the Aurora Happens
The sun releases charged particles into space through solar wind and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These particles travel toward Earth and collide with its magnetic field, becoming trapped.
Once trapped, they interact with molecules in the upper atmosphere, such as oxygen and nitrogen, causing the release of visible light that creates the aurora’s beautiful glow.
"An alert has just dropped from the Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) for the kind of light show you won’t want to miss if the skies behave."
The magic is all about being in the right place at the right time with clear skies.
Summary
Keep an eye on the southern skies tonight; a geomagnetic storm could make the Aurora Australis visible for several hours in the best southern locations.
Author’s note: Tonight’s geomagnetic activity offers a rare opportunity to witness the Southern Lights in southern Australia and nearby regions under clear, dark skies.