Shortly after arriving in Tasmania to live I learnt it was possible to see the Aurora Australis or ‘southern lights’ on rare occasions. I’d never really contemplated that as an option before. I thought I’d have to go to the Antarctic or Arctic circles to have any chance of ever seeing them. So I set about finding out about them and how to keep abreast of sightings.
Aurora Australis (photo by Jonathan Esling)
Aurora Spotting: Southern Tasmania
by David Moore
For a great explanation of what Aurora Australis is go to the Australian Antarctic Division website. I tracked down newsgroups, SMS alert lists, iPhone apps and Facebook pages that would, hopefully, let me know when I could see an Aurora.
Interesting cloud formation; Aurora Australis (photos by Jonathan Esling)
Firstly, each day I check these three websites as night time approaches:
- The Aurora Alert page, Bureau of Meteorology IPS (Ionospheric Prediction Service) – this Government site provides alerts if the conditions are right. It is possible to sign up for email alerts.
- The Auroral Activity page, Space Weather Prediction Centre for the Southern Hemisphere – this site shows a satellite map of the south pole with current Aurora activity overlaid. When the red mass covers where you are you should go outside and look up.
- The Aurora Forecast page, Space Weather Prediction Centre – this is like the map mentioned above but a friendlier view.
I also subscribe to the Aurora Australis Tasmania Facebook page. On my iPhone I use the “Aurora Forecast” (Aurora FCST) free app.
Reward for Effort, Time and Money
All the tools I use are FREE. There are quite a few apps and websites where you can sign up for SMS alerts and the like for a fee. These may save you some time and effort if you don’t like going outside at night without a reason.
Popular aurora image (photo by Jonathan Esling)
I have to say it still seems a rather imprecise and vague science. That is not surprising when you consider that a solar flare has to strike the Earth at just the right angle at just the right time under just the right atmospheric conditions for an Aurora to be created.
Still, in two years I have seen them twice because I went outside on a hunch as much as anything else (I certainly had not received any alerts as I’d expected). I was surprised by how fast moving they were. They were “searchlighting” and moving about the sky in apparent beams.
Recently, while holidaying overseas, the best displays since my arrival took place. Typical. But things are looking up (excuse the pun). We are entering a phase of increased activity so now is a great time to be looking skyward.
Aurora Australis (photo by Jonathan Esling)
So when you visit Tassie make sure you check for Auroras. Even if you don’t see the Aurora, I check every night despite the available technology and alerts, looking up at our clear skies and actually seeing the milkiness of the Milky Way is a reward in itself.
If you have a computer malfunction or problem, David Moore from I Hate My PC is your man. And if you have vitally important data on your computer that you need saved or stored, David Moore can also help you with that through his Don’t Lose It system. You can follow both I Hate My PC and Don’t Lose It on Facebook for great tips.
Images of the Aurora Australis
David didn’t have photos to accompany this article, but Jonathan Esling was willing to share some of his outstanding Aurora images with us. We first met Jonathan when he shared a photo of a rare flower, the yellow form of Telopea Truncata with our Facebook followers via our Tassie Photographers album.
Telopea Truncata (photo by Jonathan Esling)
Jonathan Esling is a horticulturalist by trade with a passion for photography and Tasmania’s natural flora and landscapes. When he is not capturing macro images of unique and intricate plants, he particularly enjoys photographing seascapes and, of course, the amazing Aurora Australis. His photography can be followed at Jonathan Esling Photography on Facebook and he has a photostream on Flickr. For further information, please contact Jonathan Esling direct.
Aurora (photo by Jonathan Esling)
David & Johnathon, this is really different & we thank you both for sharing something that often gets missed on Think Tasmania. Keep it coming. R. Fabulous photos and great easily understood article about an often over complicated explanation of a science.
There was an Aurora last night about 1am looking out from Channel area over Bruny Island.
cheers Hiedi
We received this message from Peter, saying…
“I would like to come to Tassie to view the Aurora Australias. Can you please point me in the direction where is the best place to view this. I have signed up for Aurora Alerts so I am assuming that I can visit Tassie around the same time as the alerts but I am unsure where in Tassie is the best place to go? Can you help?”
In reply, David had this advice…
Hi Peter,
Viewing the aurora Australis is a tricky thing to do. Despite all the predicting devices, software and alerts there’s still no guarantee that it will be visible. I’ve been looking at/for them for 3 years and only seen them 3 or 4 times.
Often, when the alerts are off the chart, we have daylight, cloud and moon light to contend with and, on top of that, it can be fleeting.
I guess what I am saying is that coming to Tassie just to see Aurora may result in you leaving disappointed…unless you are here for a very long time 🙂
Having said that, the best viewing places are many.
On good nights they can be easily seen from Hobart (Mt Wellington) and surrounding suburbs/towns.
Basically the further south you are the more likely you are to see Aurora. I live at Franklin on the Huon River at 450m and see them from my home. Town residents see them from the riverbank.
Being on a south facing hill top where you can see the horizon i.e. no mountains further south blocking your view, is best. Check the lunar calendar. Your chances are improved if there’s no moon in the sky and, naturally, get worse as the moon goes from “new” to “full” and back.
Winter is better viewing as the nights are much longer and darker.
Of course, Antarctica is the best place to view them 🙂 But getting there is not for everyone (certainly not me).
I hope that helps, if not to see Aurora then not to spend lots of money and be disappointed 🙂
thanks for the aurora notification references. i’ve been looking for them!
Hi I will be in Hobart on march, may I know is it possible to see aurora and where??
many thanks,
selly