If you’ve been dreaming of seeing the Southern Lights, tonight might just be the night! A partial halo coronal mass ejection (CME) was observed leaving the Sun earlier this week, and is expected to impact Earth today, leading to geomagnetic activity, and potentially triggering aurora australis. Although the Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) hasn’t issued an official aurora alert, they have predicted moderate geomagnetic storms (G2) for today (Friday, October 9) and Sunday. Under G2 conditions, aurora australis can be visible from Tasmania and southern Victoria, including Melbourne. So, pray for clear skies, and stay cautiously optimistic.
Aurora australis in Melbourne – October 2026
A coronal mass ejection occurs when clouds of plasma and magnetic fields erupt in the Sun’s outer atmosphere. When these particles, carried by solar wind, interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, they create the dancing colours of red, purple and green.
According to the ASWFC, which is a part of the Bureau of Meteorology, the coronal mass ejection is expected to impact the planet today at 0700UT, give or take eight hours. In Melbourne time, that’s 6pm today. Sunset will take place at 7:30pm, so you’ll need to wait about 90 minutes or so for the darkness to set in, then head out and hope for the best. According to BOM, bright auroras usually last for around one to three hours. Generally, the best time to see them is when it’s dark between 10pm and 2am.
If there is significant geomagnetic activity, the ASWFC will issue an aurora alert. These alerts are issued when conditions are favourable for seeing the Southern Lights, and they usually indicate which parts of Australia the aurora will be visible.
So, keep your eyes on the website, and get ready for a cosmic show. You can also check out other handy websites and resources, like Space Weather Live or NOAA. Facebook groups like Aurora Hunters Victoria or Aurora Australis are also helpful, as you can get updates from people in your area.
Finding aurora australis in Melbourne
To see the Southern Lights, you’ll need to rug up, then find somewhere dark with a view to the south. Looking out over the ocean is a particularly good plan, because it’s flat and you don’t have to worry about light pollution getting in the way. But, if you can’t make it to the coast, you can still see the aurora inland, as long as there aren’t any obstructions like mountains or buildings blocking the view. For ideas about where to go, click here.
Allow time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. This can range from ten to twenty minutes. You’ll also need to adjust your expectations, because what your eyes see and what your camera sees are different. While you might be expecting vivid colours of greens and reds, the naked eye will more likely see moments of brightness, like a flickering white light. Cameras, which have a longer exposure, can pick up the colours to create the spectacular photos you’re more familiar with. When the particles interact with oxygen in our atmosphere, they give off a green and red light, whereas nitrogen creates gorgeous hues of blue and purple.
Keep in mind that this is a natural phenomenon, and sightings aren’t guaranteed.
