Aurora Australis visible in NSW, Tasmania and South Australia
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RMIT University associate professor Dr Brett Carter said the storm causing the colourful phenomenon began this morning though the exact timing and intensity of the aurora was uncertain.
An aurora spotted in Tasmania on May 11, 2024. Picture by Phillip Biggs
"It did arrive this morning, as it was expected to, but it's not packing as much of a punch as what we were thinking," Dr Carter said.
"We're hoping that there's going to be some decent auroras, particularly for Tasmanians tonight, well after sunset."
"There's no way to know for sure how this space weather event is going to play out.
"We will just have to watch the data come in and see whether the conditions are suitable for aurora viewing or not," he said.
Dr Carter said he had seen the Aurora Australis up close on multiple occasions but described recent light show in May, 2024, as "the best event I've seen in my career".
"I made sure to put down my camera and just really thoroughly enjoy it," he said.
"At one point, I just burst into tears and I still don't know why. It felt so personal, it felt like the universe put the show on just for me and it was truly magical."
Tips for aurora hunters
Viewing the Aurora Australis could be difficult depending on the intensity.
Dr Carter provided a few tips before heading out to catch the light show.
He suggested checking the space weather forecasts and social media community groups as there might be advice on the current conditions at any one moment in time.
Being far away from artificial lights, such as the glow of cities, was also key to prime Aurora Australis viewing.
"The way our naked eyes tend to observe the aurora is that it because it's so dim, we tend to see it like a grey colour ... because our color receptors in our eyes aren't that sensitive to such dim lights" he said.
"It doesn't mean that you need the best camera in the world in order to actually capture some footage of it - most camera phones come with an ability to have an exposure of a few seconds."
Despite this, Dr Carter said his advice was to watch it with the naked eye and "enjoy it in the moment".
"Sure, you end up getting really pretty pictures, but the actual experience of watching it dance around and move is really hard to capture," he said.
How does it occur?
Dr Carter explained that the Southern Lights, as they're commonly known, is "the result of the sun's activity ramping up as we approach solar maximum".
He said the amazing storm that occurred in May was a result of "three eruptions all bunched up together".
"I believe the one that's already hit us this morning is the result of two of them bunching up together, and then we have another one that's trailing behind, probably set to arrive sometime over the next day or so," Dr Carter said.
"That'll hopefully kick up activity a little bit more, so that the rest of us can enjoy the auroras and it's not just the Tasmanians that get all the all the glory."
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