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 (Southern Lights) may be visible tonight if the conditions align.

The Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) has issued an Aurora Alert, signaling an ongoing geomagnetic storm with favorable conditions for a visible aurora in high-latitude Southern Australia.

Where and When to Watch

Your best chance is as far south as possible, away from city lights.
Tasmania and New Zealand's South Island offer the highest odds.
Mainland Southern Australia (Victoria, southern NSW, South Australia) might also see the show with very dark skies and minimal light pollution.
The sweet spot for viewing is generally between 10pm and 2am local time.
Displays usually last 1–3 hours.

Use the ASWFC’s auroral oval tool to check if your location falls inside the "equatorward visibility line" tonight.

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 interaction causes the colorful aurora displays as particles energize atmospheric gases, creating the breathtaking nocturnal light show.

Author's summary: Tonight’s geomagnetic storm may gift southern skywatchers a rare Aurora Australis display, best seen in remote southern regions under clear, dark skies.

Urban List — 2025-11-06