Feature image: Patrick Wynne
A few lucky stargazers have captured breathtaking images of the Aurora Australis as it graced South Australian skies once again last night. Patrick Wynne took this stunning photo at 7:40 pm in Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills, and there’s plenty more where that came from.
The Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) issued an alert for the geomagnetic storm that made this display possible. According to their update at 23:23 UTC on September 12th, the storm increased the chances of seeing the Aurora Australis during local nighttime hours, particularly in high-latitude areas.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) confirmed that the geomagnetic storm is ongoing, and the ASWFC updated their alert at 00:23 UTC on September 13th, indicating that the conditions are still favourable for aurora sightings.
Rita Paciullo who snapped the Aurora in Renmark said: “When it started, for the first time I could actually see the colours with the naked eye.”
AURORA WATCHING TIPS:
- KP Index is not reliable: The Glendale.co.uk app provides live data, making it a more accurate source of information.
- Timing is unpredictable: The aurora can appear 10 hours early or late. Aurora experts can only predict what might happen about an hour in advance, based on data from the Glendale app or Space Weather Live.
- Find a dark location: You need to be in a very dark place to see the aurora, as light pollution can obstruct the view. If you don’t go to a dark spot, you might miss out or see a diminished display.
- Face south: Look towards the South Pole, as that’s where the aurora will be. Anything else you see might be sunset, town lights, or airglow.
- Plan ahead: Make your plan during the day. The aurora can appear and disappear within minutes, so be prepared.
- Using an iPhone: If you think you’ve captured the aurora, go to settings, edit, and adjust exposure and shadows to enhance the image.
- Check for clouds: Use an app like Cloud Free Night to find areas with less cloud cover, or look for gaps in the clouds.
- Have fun!: Enjoy the experience.
FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE AURORA FORECASTS:
- Check out the My Aurora Forecasts & Alerts app
- Check out the latest Aurora conditions on the Bureau of Meteorology
- Subscribe to the Bureau of Meteorology Aurora alerts
- Follow real time updates for your area on the Glendale.co.uk web app
- Or, join one of the many local Aurora spotting Facebook groups, which give updates in real time.
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