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Lady Aurora is back, and she’s returned in full force! Last night (January 20), skygazers all across Australia were treated to one of the most impressive Aurora Australis displays in decades. The Southern Lights show was sparked by a severe solar storm, which the NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center reported was the strongest event of its kind since October 2003.
The dancing lights were vivid across Tasmania and along the Victorian coast – from Werribee South Beach to Port Phillip and the Mornington Peninsula. Spectacular sightings were also reported at Stanwell Tops and the Blue Mountains in NSW, Aldinga and Sellicks Beaches in South Australia, and even as far inland as Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, among many other locations. Here are some of the most incredible photos captured during last night’s Aurora Australis.
RECOMMENDED: How to spot the Aurora Australis tonight
Bullawa Creek, NSW
Dunbogan, NSW
Werribee South Beach, Victoria
Blowering Dam, NSW
Lyndoch, Barossa Valley
Mandurah, WA
If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of the dancing lights tonight, the Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) issued another alert confirming the severe geomagnetic storm is still in progress. According to the alert, the "Aurora may be observed during local nighttime hours in good observing conditions at regions as far equatorward as low latitudes." The best chance to spot the lights is after dark (if skies are clear), around 65 minutes after sunset. You can find out more about spotting the Aurora Australis here.