Aurora Australis Alert: Watch the Southern Lights Tonight
Put on your jumper and find a high vantage point—hills or the beach—to witness a potential sky spectacle. The Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) has issued an Aurora Alert signaling a geomagnetic storm in progress, creating favorable conditions for the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis) to be seen in high-latitude Southern Australia.
Where and When to Watch
Your best chance to see the aurora is in locations far south and away from city lights. Tasmania and New Zealand’s South Island have the highest likelihood of visibility. Mainland southern parts of Australia, including Victoria, southern New South Wales, and South Australia, might also catch the display, provided the skies are very dark and free from light pollution.
- The prime viewing window is generally between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.
- Displays usually last from one to three hours.
To verify if your location falls within the auroral oval tonight, use the ASWFC’s auroral oval tool and check if you are inside the “equatorward visibility line.”
The Science Behind the Show
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.
This energetic interaction creates the glowing curtains of light that can sometimes be seen dancing across the night sky.
Summary
Clear, dark skies in southern regions tonight could reward you with a stunning aurora display fueled by solar activity and geomagnetic storms.
Author’s note: This rare celestial event invites everyone to step outside and enjoy nature’s mesmerizing light show if conditions align.