Aurora Australis Alert: Get Outside Tonight The Sky Might Just Glow
Grab your jumper and head for the hills or the beach. The stunning Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, could be visible tonight if conditions align.
Aurora Alert from Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre
The Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) has issued an Aurora Alert indicating a geomagnetic storm is underway. This means conditions are favorable for spotting an aurora in high-latitude Southern Australia.
If you are in the right location at the right time with clear skies, you may witness the sky’s spectacular light dance.
Where and When to Watch
- Your best chance is as far south as possible, away from city lights.
- Tasmania offers the highest odds, along with New Zealand's South Island.
- Mainland Southern Australia (Victoria, southern NSW, South Australia) might also display the aurora but requires very dark skies and low light pollution.
- The optimal viewing window is generally between 10pm and 2am local time.
- Displays often last between 1 to 3 hours.
Use the ASWFC’s auroral oval tool to verify if your location is within the "equatorward visibility line" for tonight.
How the Aurora Forms
When the sun emits charged particles—via solar wind or coronal mass ejections (CMEs)—these particles travel toward Earth and collide with its magnetic field. Trapped there, they interact with oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the upper atmosphere, producing glowing light.
"When the sun flings charged particles out—solar wind, coronal mass ejections (CMEs)—they travel toward Earth and hit our planet’s magnetic field. Once trapped, they interact with molecules in the upper atmosphere (oxygen, nitrogen), releasing light."
Author's summary: Tonight’s skies might reveal the breathtaking Southern Lights, especially in southern regions, offering a rare natural spectacle if weather conditions hold clear.