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If it happens – what tonight / tomorrow morning’s aurora will look like.

(Posted 9 January 2014) With the CME (coronal mass ejection) expected to arrive around 6 pm AEST tonight +/-7 hours, I have been looking around for a decent photograph of the Aurora Australis.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC7QroiDVQw

I came across something even better and that is the above time lapse video of two seperate aurora taken from the Mornington Peninsula (near Melbourne, Victoria) in 2012. Enjoy.

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96 thoughts on “If it happens – what tonight / tomorrow morning’s aurora will look like.

  1. Damien,

    Yes it is a great piece of work. Good luck with the aurora hunting tonight.

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  2. Hi Paul

    What time tonight do you believe the aurora will be visible from and until? Thanks Brad

  3. Brad,

    Unfortunately I cannot give you an exact time. It depends if the CME (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronal_mass_ejection) arrives as forecast and how much mass is in it. The orientation of parts of the Earth’s magnetic field can also affect it. A few years ago, an aurora didn’t occur because the the CME ended being guided away from the Earth because the field was orientated differently than expected by the experts in the area (of which I am not one). It also depends on where you are. The closer you are to the South magnetic pole the better because you have more of chance of seeing the fainter ones.

    That said, all the references I have indicate that around local midnight is the best time to look – and this matches what one of my Twitter followers in Tasmania has found. However, the only aurora I have seen where I live (in Canberra) occurred around 8:20 pm. I will tweet if I see anything or hear anything via the Yahoo group ‘southern-aurora’. To maximise your chances of seeing any aurora you want to have a clear Southern horizon free of city lights and patience.

    Best of luck.

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  4. Get info, best I can find on-line for tonight’s activity. Look forward to your updates. Sitting on Seaford Beach, nothing as yet.

    Great work by the way!

  5. Trudy,

    Good to hear from you. At this stage, I have had it confirmed that the CME has yet to arrive at the Earth. The prediction can be off by up to seven hours. It was forecast to arrive at 6 pm EAST / 7 pm AEDT but didn’t. So it could not arrive until 1 am AEST / 2 am AEDT tomorrow morning. In some respects that would be good as the Moon will have set leaving the sky darker.

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  6. I’m in Hobart right now, do you reckon we can see this aurora?! I’m actually in Cygnet, south of hobart, any suggestion of good place to see a better aurora down here?!

  7. How exciting. Thanks for the info Paul. We live in the northern burbs and might try our luck up in King Lake. Good luck everyone.

  8. Martina,

    You are in the perfect location (Southern Tasmania) to see the aurora when it happens. I have someone who lives in Pitt Water – who lets me know when she sees an aurora – once this year already.

    The CME (cloud of plasma erupted from the Sun) which will cause the aurora hasn’t arrived yet. Might not be until 1pm AEST / 2 pm AEDT.

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  9. Hi Paul. I’m in Ballarat Vic. I’m just wondering if up went up Mt Buninyong and viewed South if that is better than just going bush. Orrr make a mad dash down to Pt Londsdale for that 1pm night gaze. What do you think

  10. Nino,

    Unfortunately, where you are is going to limit your chances of seeing the aurora because of the number of street lights. Aurora at Melbourne latitudes usually are not that bright. You ideally need a location where you can look to the South without street lights being in front of you.

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  11. Thanks a lot, I’ll stay tuned for more news!
    …so the chance to see aurora it will be tonight or tomorrow night?!
    Thanks again!

  12. Tracy,

    Don’t know Ballarat so cannot give directions. 🙂

    The key thing though is to get away from street lights and look South. I am further North than you (Canberra) and I have seen one from here. The key thing is having a dark sky to the South.

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  13. Paul, did you mean ‘1 am AEST / 2 am AEDT’ in your last post. You wrote PM.

    Thanks for the info. I’m North of Launceston and will be keeping an eye out for the lights in a few hours (if it’s 1am/2am)

  14. Martina,

    Tonight and tomorrow night according to Spaceweather.com

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  15. How about john hills reserve Kalista. Clear view south – no rest street lights, side of a mountain: only moonlight..

  16. We are currently at Port Arthur in Tassie. Any suggestions re location and timing. I’m assuming the previous comments about 1pm mean 1 am? Thanks.

  17. Arrgg… Sorry I meant am … as in tomorrow morning (Friday).

    Need to go and eat something to raise my blood sugar level.

    Thanks for checking.

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  18. Barb,

    Yes, I should have typed 1am AEST / 2am AEDT tomorrow morning is in theory the latest the aurora should occur – assuming CME’s follow human predictions 🙂

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  19. Thanks Paul, that’s great info. We have views of a westerly aspect, and it’s lovely and clear. Would absolutely love to see them if at all possible. Any suggestions appreciated. Cheers.

  20. Mary,

    I don’t know if there is a clear answer to that one. If you live in an ideal location, they can last for hours. For me though, the only one I saw (living in Canberra) only lasted about five minutes (looked like faint red glowing cloud). Ideal locations by the way would be high Northern latitudes or Antarctica (not practical).

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  21. Melissa,

    Not familiar with Victoria – need to travel more.

    That said, given I have seen an aurora from Canberra, I would definitely keep an eye out (look to the South).

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  22. I live in Melbourne, 5 mins away from Seaford beach. Will it last for longer than 5 mins do you think? I want to drive down there when it happens.

  23. Hi,

    Is there any hope of seeing this when you’re not on a coast line. I from a town in Victoria called Traralgon which is around an hour from the nearest beach. I will keep an eye on the comments here rod see when CME arrives. I am super excited!

  24. Barb,

    Key thing is a dark sky, a clear southern horizon and patience.

    Fingers crossed.

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  25. Adam,

    Definitely. I have seen one from Canberra and I can safely say I don’t have a beach. 🙂

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

  26. Thanks for the info…. Will keep an eye out if we can stay up. Not long returned from the Ghost Tour at Port Arthur, and there was a reply message on my phone, regarding the Southern Lights…… that I DIDN’T write, and it was signed “W”. Freaky….. really freaky!

  27. Nino,

    We are still waiting for the CME to arrive. It is what triggers the aurora. It might no arrive until 1 am AEST / 2 am AEDT tomorrow morning.

    Regards,

    Paul Floyd.

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