It’s not often Australia is treated to a phenomenon like an aurora. But it looks like we are in for another one, less than a month after its last occurrence.
On the night of November 12, the southern parts of the country watched the spectacular light show known as the aurora australis.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued a severe geomagnetic storm alert, noting it would last 48 hours. The pink and purple hues of the aurora australis were visible from Sydney to Perth.
Following a “full-halo solar eruption” (more info below) on December 6, NOAA Space Weather Prediction Centre (NOAA SWPC) has sent an alert for a G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm watch for December 9. BOM also stated that the aurora could be visible until Thursday, 11 December.
So if you missed November’s display, now could be your chance to see it!
What time will the aurora australis be visible in Australia?
The BOM said the aurora will perform during local nighttime hours in the mid to southern parts of Australia.
You can see real-time tracking of the event on NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast.
Those further south will naturally have a better view of the aurora, given that they are the southern lights. There have been occasions in the past where the solar event was so strong that it was seen as far as Central Queensland.
What is an aurora?
An aurora is nature’s fascinating fireworks that some travel the globe to watch, but what is the science behind it?
Well, the geomagnetic storm is caused by a coronal mass ejection – a large cloud of magnetised plasma erupting from the Sun’s outer atmosphere.
When a coronal mass ejection hits the Earth, it disrupts our planet’s magnetic field and creates a geomagnetic storm.
At the moment, auroras are frequent, but they won’t last much longer. The Sun is at the peak of an 11-year cycle, known as the solar maximum. The solar minimum is expected to begin in 2030; therefore, the number of auroras will decrease.
How to take pictures of the aurora?
We’ve all seen those picture-perfect shots of auroras. But not all of us are professional photographers with expensive equipment.
If you’re using an iPhone, users are encouraged to turn on night mode, maximum exposure time, and use a tripod or stable surface.
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