Severe geomagnetic storm to light up Aussie skies tonight

Australia’s space weather forecasting agency has advised that a ‘severe’ geomagnetic storm will affect the country tonight.

The Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre, which is part of the Bureau of Meteorology, said a coronial mass ejection, otherwise known as a solar flare, has caused the conditions.

The agency said radio frequencies and satellite signals could be affected due to the strong solar wind, however, a more noticeable effect will be that the aurora australis will likely be visible across southern parts of the country.

Locals and tourists in Tasmania, Victoria, SA and the southern part of WA have the best spots to view the southern lights, though they have previously been able to be viewed as far north as NSW and southern Queensland.

The solar flares disrupt Earth’s magnetic field, causing the colourful lights in the atmosphere. The global geomagnetic activity is measured on a scale from minor (G1) to extreme (G5).

In 2024 a huge aurora australis event reached G5 and could be seen as far north as the central Queensland coast. Tuesday’s activity is at the G4 level.

The uptick in aurora activity is attributed to the sun being in solar maximum, the peak of its 11-year cycle. That cycle is expected to reach its minimum in 2030.

Those looking to capture the aurora australis on camera are advised to use a stable tripod and set a low shutter speed.

While standalone cameras will likely have more chance of picking up the vibrant colours, modern phone cameras can also be used. 

The colours of the aurora can vary between greens, reds, whites, pinks, purples and blues depending on the altitude and the amount of oxygen versus nitrogen in the atmosphere.