Aurora Chaser

Aurora australis · The southern lights

See the southern lights from Australia

When a geomagnetic storm hits, the aurora australis lights up the southern sky over Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia and south-west WA. In the biggest storms it can be seen much further north. Find out where to go, what causes it, and when to look.

Explore the map Current BoM aurora alerts

Aurora visibility map

Choose a level of geomagnetic activity to see where the aurora could be visible on a clear, dark night. Tap the map for details about any spot.

Kp 5 G1 · Minor storm

The auroral oval reaches about 56.3° magnetic latitude. Check the current level on the BoM geomagnetic indices page.

What you could see

    This is a rule-of-thumb guide, not a forecast. It assumes clear, dark skies and the aurora at its usual position around local midnight, and real displays change from minute to minute. How the map works.

    Where to go

    A good aurora spot has a dark, clear view to the south (ideally over the ocean) and is well away from city lights. Spots that could see the aurora at the selected activity level are highlighted.

    Viewing spots, best placed first. The Kp columns show the activity needed for each kind of view.
    Spot State Magnetic lat. Camera Horizon Naked eye At selected Kp

    Cities

    From inside a city, light pollution hides all but the brightest displays. A 30–60 minute drive to somewhere dark makes a big difference.
    City State Magnetic lat. Camera Horizon Naked eye At selected Kp

    Before you head out