The massive aurora australis that lit up the sky across central and southern Australia on Wednesday is expected to return tonight.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a very high chance of the aurora australis, also known as the southern lights, being visible during local night-time hours in the mid to southern parts of Australia on Thursday night.
For the best viewing experience, it’s recommended to visit areas with low light pollution and at a high altitude.
And, of course, those further south will be able to see the southern lights better.
The aurora australis was visible soon after sunset and lasted throughout the night on Wednesday, with the same situation expected on Thursday.
The aurora australis is caused by coronal mass ejections – explosions of magnetised plasma from the sun – hitting the Earth and creating geomagnetic storms.
Those storms disrupt earth’s magnetic field, causing the colourful lights. The global geomagnetic activity is measured on a scale from minor (G1) to extreme (G5).
Last year’s huge aurora australis event reached G5 and could be seen as far north as the central Queensland coast. Wednesday’s activity reached G4 and the same is forecast for Thursday.
The aurora australis is forecast to return on Thursday night (pictured, the aurora over New Zealand on Wednesday)
Wednesday and Thursday were both forecast to have the second-highest level of geomagnetic activity (pictured, the aurora at Werribee on Wednesday)
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.
Wednesday’s aurora reached Perth, across SA and into NSW as far north as Sydney, though country areas with less light pollution outside the city had a better chance to catch a glimpse.
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.
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Aussie skies to be lit up tonight in spectacular aurora show – here’s where and when you’ll have the best chance to see it