Rare night sky phenomenon lights up skies across Australia

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Australians were treated to a rare natural spectacle overnight as a powerful aurora australis lit up skies far beyond its usual range.

The southern lights were visible across much of the country, from Tasmania and Victoria to parts of New South Wales, central Queensland and Western Australia. Experts say that level of coverage is highly unusual.

Swinburne University astrophysicist Dr Rebecca Davies said the display was driven by heightened solar activity. The sun remains in an intense phase of its solar cycle, producing stronger and more frequent space weather events.

The lights were spotted as far north as Byron Bay, where locals described vivid colours rarely seen in the region. Inland observers, including in Dubbo, also reported clear views once cloud cover eased.

Auroras occur when charged particles from the sun collide with Earth’s atmosphere during geomagnetic storms, creating glowing bands of colour in the sky.

The Bureau of Meteorology confirmed a severe geomagnetic storm was active overnight. While that peak has passed, solar activity continues, with weaker auroras still possible.

Forecasters say people in southern Australia, including Victoria, Tasmania and southern Western Australia, may still catch a faint display on the southern horizon tonight.

Source : 9News

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