What is an aurora?
A natural light display caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere. The collisions release energy as glowing light, usually green, pink or red, typically 100 to 300km up.
Is there an aurora tonight?
Check tonight's verdict card above. It's a straight Go/No-Go call built from real-time Kaus, Bz, cloud cover and darkness for your location, updated every 5 minutes.
How do I see the aurora australis?
Face a dark, south-facing horizon, ideally between 10pm and 2am, and check tonight's live verdict for your location so you're not heading out on a quiet night.
What time is best to see the Southern Lights?
Any time it's fully dark, but activity is statistically strongest around local magnetic midnight, roughly 10pm to 2am, when your location rotates into the part of Earth's magnetic field most disturbed by the solar wind. Check tonight's verdict card above for your location's exact dark-sky window.
What Kp index is needed to see the aurora lights in Australia?
As a rough guide: Tasmania can pick up faint displays from around Kp 5, Victoria and South Australia usually need Kp 6 to 7, and the mainland further north needs an extreme Kp 8 or 9 storm. We track the Kaus index alongside Kp, a scale tuned for southern-hemisphere visibility that often gives an earlier read on your actual chances than Kp alone.
How often does Tasmania see the aurora australis?
More than anywhere else in Australia. Tasmania sits closer to the pole than any other state, so it picks up faint displays starting around Kp 5, storms most other states need Kp 6 or higher to notice.
Do I need to leave Hobart to see the southern lights?
Not always, the Mount Wellington lookout can work on a clear night from right above the city. South Arm and Bruny Island's Goats Bluff give a darker, lower southern horizon for fainter displays.
AuroraSee