If you've ever wondered what it feels like to see the Northern Lights, you don't need to book a flight to Scandinavia. Australia has its own version, and tonight might be your chance.
The Bureau of Meteorology's Space Weather Forecasting Centre has issued an alert after a coronal mass ejection was expected to impact Earth, possibly resulting in geomagnetic activity and aurora australis in parts of the country. Unlike most aurora opportunities, which come with just 24 hours' notice, this one's been forecast and you have time to make a plan.
The Aurora Australis is expected to be visible across parts of Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and southern New South Wales. If you're in Tasmania, your odds are genuinely strong. Tasmania is the best place in Australia to see the Aurora Australis thanks to its southerly latitude and low light pollution. While aurora sightings are typically confined to Australia's southernmost regions, storms of this intensity can push the display further north than usual, widening the reach of this otherwise elusive phenomenon to Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
Timing and location
The incoming coronal mass ejection is expected to reach Earth at around 8pm AEDT, with the optimal viewing window typically falling between 60 to 90 minutes after sunset, when skies are fully dark and activity begins to intensify. Here's the practical bit: you need to be somewhere dark and remote. For the best chance of catching the show, head somewhere dark and clear with a view to the south; city lights will dull the colours, so rural lookouts, beaches and coastal cliffs are your best bet.
An unobstructed southern horizon is essential. Coastal locations looking out over the ocean are ideal because there's nothing but water between you and Antarctica. If you're in Victoria, Rickett's Point in Beaumaris offers a clear, south-facing view and lack of light pollution, while Portsea, Queenscliff and Cape Schanck are also good aurora-spotting options, as well as anywhere on the state's southern coastline.
What you'll actually see
When charged particles collide with gases in the upper atmosphere, they glow in luminous bands of green, pink and violet. It's generally more common for those in Australia to see red and green lights than other colours. The display won't hang around forever. They typically last from 20 minutes to an hour, with the exact timing dependant on weather conditions.
If you're bringing a camera, bring a tripod and shoot with a long exposure and high ISO. But even without gear, the naked eye shows often deliver. Give your eyes 15 to 20 minutes in the dark to see faint colours.
Why now?
There's a reason the Bureau of Meteorology has been issuing more aurora alerts in the last 12 months. We're currently in a solar maximum; the peak of the sun's 11-year activity cycle. That means the next 12-18 months offer the best aurora hunting conditions we'll see until the mid-2030s. There's also an advantage from the equinox timing; if the same auroral storm happened at midwinter versus at the equinox, the one at the equinox would create a slightly bigger aurora further from the poles.
The practical challenge is that auroras don't play by a schedule. You usually get 1-3 days warning when a strong solar storm is heading toward Earth. So when conditions align and forecasters issue an alert, it's worth treating seriously. While sightings are never guaranteed, promising conditions include clear skies, low light pollution, and heightened solar activity aligning favourably with Earth's magnetic field.
If tonight's clouds roll in or your local forecast looks grim, don't despair. The next 12-18 months offer significantly higher chances of seeing the Southern Lights from Australia than the quieter years ahead. After this window, aurora activity will decline until the next solar maximum around 2035. Get ready to move quickly when the next alert hits. For live updates, check the Bureau of Meteorology Space Weather Services, which is Australia's official source for space weather forecasts and sends aurora alerts when geomagnetic activity is expected to increase.