Southern Lights fever has taken over the country after a vibrant display took over Australian skies over the past weekend following a huge geomagnetic storm. While South Australia and Tasmania were treated to the lights, the phenomenon has so far evaded NSW and ACT due to persistent rain and cloud cover. With the clouds clearing last night, some regions around the state finally caught a glimpse of the Aurora Australis with sightings as close as Wollongong, just 90 minutes from Sydney and as far as Uralla in northern NSW.
Do note that like its northern counterpart, the Aurora Borealis, the Southern Lights can be unpredictable and it’s all down to luck, timing and weather conditions. We recommend following this Facebook group for regular updates on sightings and keeping an eye on this website for a real-time map on the southern lights. Plus, follow official agencies like the Bureau of Meteorology Space Weather Services before heading out.
What are the best spots to see the lights in NSW?
For the best chance at seeing the lights in Australia, you need to be as far south as possible — which means Tasmania is the fail-safe place to go. The phenomenon has shown up in NSW though, treating skygazers to a kaleidoscopic display as recently as December and even in cities like Dubbo in western NSW.
To give yourself the best chance to see it, you’ll need to be somewhere high, dark and south-facing with a clear view of the horizon. Look for spots with little to no light pollution and no cloud cover — — ideally remote areas so you’ll need to travel away from the city. You can keep track of future aurora forecasts.
While it’s not guaranteed, some places you should head to next time you go chasing the Southern Lights include:
- The Riverina — The Aurora Australis lit up the Riverina sky this past weekend making it worth the long drive out of town.
- Snowy Mountains — Because of its high elevation, the Snowies have occasionally treated visitors to the southern lights. Follow this page for updates around the Snowy Mountains, Canberra and Southern NSW.
- South of Wollongong — The Illawarra region of Wollongong along the Grand Pacific Drive, Kiama and Shellharbour may present opportunities to see the lights but your best bet would be to travel as far south as possible.
- Blue Mountains — High elevation spots around the Blue Mountains have occasionally witnessed the Southern Lights.
- Jervis Bay — While it’s well known for its white sandy beaches and stunning bioluminescence, Aurora has been spotted as far north as Jervis Bay since it can get quite dark around here.
Additional sightings over the weekend include places like South West Rocks, Caves Beach and Jerrabomberra.
Why is it called Aurora Australis?
The lights are named after Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn. The word australis means “southern“. The phenomenon was named by Captain James Cook after the moniker Northern Lights.
What is the best time of the year to see the Aurora Australis?
Winter is usually the best chance to see the Southern Lights between the months of May and August and during the spring equinox in September.
Aurora displays are usually brightest between the hours of 10pm and 2am and although the geomagnetic storm has reached its peak, the BOM has issued additional warnings until Tuesday, May 14.