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Straits Times
19-05-2025
- Straits Times
Next stop, Australia: Chase the ethereal Southern Lights in Tasmania
From Goat Bluff Lookout, around 30 minutes from Hobart, you can catch stunning views of the natural light phenomenon. PHOTO: LUKE TSCHARKE Thanks to longer nights during winter in Tasmania, there is a higher chance of catching the aurora australis, also known as the Southern Lights. Between May and August, the Australian island-state not only gets colder – with temperatures ranging from 3 to 14 deg C – but also darker earlier, as the sun sets at around 5pm. Similar to the aurora borealis in the north, the Southern Lights are created when charged solar particles interact with Earth's magnetic field. The result? Ethereal waves of pink, green, yellow and blue dancing across the night sky. Tasmania's southern location makes it one of the few places in the world where this spectacle can be spotted with some regularity. 'The aurora has this amazing movement and I always say it's like seeing music,' says 71-year-old artist and author Margaret Sonnemann. Originally from the United States, she has been living in Australia for about 40 years. In 2012, she founded the Facebook group Aurora Australis Tasmania to create a channel for community alerts about upcoming light displays, after realising that there were hardly any such online groups. Today, the 359,200 -member group is a noteworthy source for regular updates and aurora sightings. As sightings depend on factors such as solar activity, weather and light pollution, Ms Sonnemann suggests checking the group for updates or using the Glendale App – a free web-based app for aurora alerts – before heading out to chase the lights. While it is possible to catch the aurora from almost anywhere in Tasmania, tracking and photographing it often require patience and skill. For a smoother experience, travellers can join guided tours led by locals. Longer nights in winter often bring about higher probabilities of catching the aurora australis. PHOTO: LUKE TSCHARKE Tourism Tasmania recommends local tour company Ossa Tours, which offers a three-hour aurora experience from A$60 (S$50) a person. The package includes transportation and photography assistance, making it ideal for beginners and enthusiasts alike. Ms Sonnemann says guided tours for chasing the aurora are few and far between due to the unpredictability of its appearance. Experienced photographers and guides offering aurora- or night sky-viewing tours from A$50 an hour can also be found on her other Facebook group, Aurora Australis Noticeboard. Alternatively, book a stay at accommodation like Cambridge House Breakfast and Bed in Geeveston, one of the most southerly towns in Tasmania, where the aurora can be seen from your room window. Some of the most popular spots to catch the display are just a 30- to 40-minute drive from Hobart, the state's capital city. These include Goat Bluff Lookout on South Arm Peninsula (about 35km south-east of Hobart), Carlton Beach (40km east of Hobart) and Tinderbox (20km south of Hobart), according to Tourism Tasmania's official website. But Ms Sonnemann says even without an aurora sighting, Tasmania's glittering night sky is a sight to behold. She adds: 'It's not disappointing even if there's no aurora, because the stars and the Milky Way are really quite stunning.' Brought to you by Tourism Australia Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Forbes
03-05-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Northern Lights Forecast: 11 States May See Aurora Borealis This Weekend
The Northern Lights appear in the sky during a geomagnetic storm on October 10, 2024 in White Lake, ... More North Carolina. (Photo by) The Northern Lights may be visible in the U.S. this week, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, which is predicting geomagnetic activity that could result in aurora being glimpsed in as many as 11 U.S. states on Sunday, May 4, 2025. NOAA's aurora viewlines have potential aurora displays that are possible in northern U.S. states and Canada. A total of 11 U.S. states have a chance of seeing the aurora on the northern horizon on Sunday night, with Alaska and those on the U.S.-Canada border having the highest chance. The aurora viewline for Sunday, May 4, 2025. Parts of U.S. states that could potentially see aurora, according to NOAA, include Alaska, Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, northern Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine. Areas far from light pollution are likely to get the best views. Exactly when and where aurora becomes visible this week will be down not to predictions but data coming in from NASA's DSCOVR and ACE satellites. Orbiting the sun from around a million miles from Earth, they give a roughly 30-minute warning of aurora displays after measuring the solar wind's speed and magnetic intensity. Check NOAA's 30-minute forecast or use the Glendale App for up-to-the-minute forecasts. If your smartphone has a 'Night Mode' feature, that should be good enough to get a more than impressive souvenir shot of the aurora. It likely means a long exposure of between five and 10 seconds, which will look much better if you do three things: The Northern Lights are caused by the solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. Although the magnetic field deflects much of it, some charged particles accelerate along the magnetic field lines toward the polar regions, where they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms, exciting them and causing them to release energy as light. The possibility of displays of the aurora borealis at more southerly latitudes comes from a spike in solar activity, which is currently at a 23-year high due to the current solar maximum period. Geomagnetic storms and aurora are expected to continue through 2025 and 2026. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Forbes
20-04-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Northern Lights Forecast: Storm May Bring Aurora To U.S. This Week
The Northern Lights may be visible in the U.S. on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, aurora could be visible during a G2-rated geomagnetic storm. It comes the day after the peak of a major meteor shower. The latest forecast is for a geomagnetic storm this week, with a 'moderate' G2 geomagnetic storm striking on Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April 23, with aurora displays possible in northern U.S. states — from Maine to Washington — as well as Canada and northern Europe. U.S. states may see the aurora on the northern horizon, though Alaska and those on the U.S.-Canada border will have a higher chance. The Kp index — which provides a rough guide to the intensity of aurora displays — may reach 5 or 6, which will see the auroral oval stretch farther south. Kp 5 or 6 equates to a G2-class geomagnetic storm. The geomagnetic storm on May 10, 2024, which saw aurora as far south as Florida, was rated a G5. It was the most powerful since 2003. Predicting the arrival of the aurora is difficult. Data comes to space weather forecasters from NASA's DSCOVR and ACE satellites, which orbit the sun about a million miles from Earth and give around a 30-minute warning of potential spikes in activity. These satellites measure the solar wind's speed and magnetic intensity, allowing forecasters to calculate how the solar wind will affect Earth's magnetic field. Check NOAA's 30-minute forecast and use the Glendale App for localized alerts. The Northern Lights are caused by the solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. It intensifies during solar maximum, the peak of the sun's 11-year solar cycle, which is thought to have occurred in October 2024. According to this week's geomagnetic storm will be the result of a co-rotating interaction region — a transition zone in the solar wind that causes turbulence, a critical factor for displays of aurora. For observers, the timing of this forecast couldn't be better. According to Moon Giant, the moon reaches its last quarter phase on Monday, April 21, meaning it will rise after midnight as a 35%-lit crescent in the early hours of Wednesday, April 23. That means the evening of Tuesday, April 22, will be as dark as possible — though whether there are clear skies is a different matter. The mon phase aside, aurora are far easier to see in dark country skies, with light pollution rendering them virtually invisible in all but the strongest displays. It's best to be as far away from city lights as possible to maximize your chances of seeing the aurora, using a light pollution map and visiting a Dark Sky Place (a Dark-Sky Preserve in Canada). A dark northern horizon is the most important. Aurora watchers on Tuesday evening could also see the tail-end of the peak of the Lyrids, one of the longest-running and most famous annual meteor showers. The early hours of Tuesday, April 22, should be the best night to catch the Lyrids at their peak — when about 20 meteors per hour is possible — though its peak is relatively broad. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Forbes
16-04-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Aurora Watch Continues Wednesday For 17 States As Geomagnetic Storm Intensifies
The aurora borealis from Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan, Canada. (Photo by: Alan Dyer /VW ... More PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) The Northern Lights may be visible in the U.S. on Wednesday, April 16, with the possible arrival at Earth or a coronal mass ejection. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, a geomagnetic storm could see aurora in Canada and as many as 18 U.S. states, with Alaska and those on the U.S.-Canada border having the highest chance. It comes in the wake of Earth's magnetic field being struck by a CME on Tuesday and as a meteor shower gets underway this week. As a result of a CME — a cloud of supercharged particles from the sun —arriving at Earth, a geomagnetic storm rated between G1 and G3 could result, according to NOAA. A G3 geomagnetic storm is classified as 'strong' and can lead to auroras appearing at lower latitudes, potentially as far south as 45 degrees. That would mean auroras in Canada and northern-tier U.S. States. "The aurora may become visible over many of the northern states and some of the lower Midwest to Oregon," said a statement from NOAA. "The general public should consider monitoring our webpage for the latest information and updates." It's advised to see NOAA's 30-minute forecast for the latest predictions — which are only accurate around 30 minutes beforehand or use the Glendale App for alerts. The U.S. states that could see the northern lights on Wednesday are Alaska, Washington, northern Oregon, northern Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, northern Iowa, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Areas far from light pollution are likely to get the best views, with more northerly states having a much better chance of witnessing a display. While a G3 geomagnetic storm was issued for Wednesday — due to the arrival of multiple coronal mass ejections that left the sun on April 13 — G1 geomagnetic storming conditions are likely to persist into Thursday, according to NOAA. A G1 geomagnetic storm is rated as minor in intensity and doesn't typically cause aurora in the U.S. The geomagnetic storm on May 10, 2024 — the most powerful since 2003 — saw aurora as far south as Florida. It was rated as a G5 geomagnetic storm. The Kp index — which provides a rough guide to the intensity of aurora displays — may reach 6, which will see the auroral oval stretch farther south. According to NOAA, for a Kp in the range of 6 to 7, the aurora can be 'bright and active,' and it may be 'possible to see the aurora from the northern edge of the United States.' If your smartphone has a 'Night Mode' feature, that should be good enough to get a more than impressive souvenir shot of the aurora. It likely means a long exposure of between five and 10 seconds, which will look much better if you do three things: The Northern Lights sometimes occur when charged particles from the sun — carried on the solar wind — interact with Earth's magnetic field, creating luminous displays in the upper atmosphere as particles get excited. Last weekend, the sun was particularly restless, unleashing eight M-class solar flares between Friday and Monday. While solar flares themselves don't directly cause auroras, they often set the stage for them by stirring up solar storms. Unusually, these solar flares didn't come from sunspots — dark patches on the sun's surface indicating intense magnetic activity— but magnetic filaments detaching from the sun. However, they still resulted in the two CMEs responsible for this week's aurora displays. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Northern Lights Alert For 17 States After ‘Double Eruption' On Sun
The Northern Lights may be visible in the U.S. this week after a surge in solar activity. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, aurora could be seen in U.S. states Tuesday and Wednesday thanks to a G2-rated geomagnetic storm resulting from two coronal mass ejections on the sun. It comes as two meteor showers are due to start this week. The latest forecast is for a geomagnetic storm this week, with a 'moderate' G2 geomagnetic storm striking on Wednesday, April 16, with aurora displays possible in northern U.S. states and Canada. The geomagnetic storm on May 10, 2024, which saw aurora as far south as Florida, was rated a G5 and was the most powerful since 2003. A separate prediction for aurora viewlines has almost all of Canada, save for Atlantic Canada, having a very high likelihood of aurora on Tuesday, April 15. A total of 17 U.S. states have a chance of seeing the aurora on the northern horizon, with Alaska and those on the U.S.-Canada border having a higher chance. Two coronal mass ejections — clouds of super-charged particles — were produced. It's these that could cause disturbances in Earth's magnetic field later this week. CMEs travel to Earth over the course of a few days. 'The CMEs are expected to reach Earth on April 16, a one-two punch sparking G2-class geomagnetic storms,' reports The Kp index — which provides a rough guide to the intensity of aurora displays — may reach 6, which will see the auroral oval stretch farther south. Kp 6 equates to a G2-class geomagnetic storm. According to NOAA, for a Kp in the range of 6 to 7, the aurora can be 'bright and active,' and it may be 'possible to see the aurora from the northern edge of the United States.' Parts of U.S. states that could potentially see aurora, according to NOAA, include Alaska, Washington, northern Oregon, northern Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, northern Iowa, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Areas far from light pollution are likely to get the best views. Exactly when and where aurora becomes visible this week will be down not to predictions, but data coming in from NASA's DSCOVR and ACE satellites — situated about a million miles from Earth — that a roughly 30-minute warning can be given. It measures the solar wind's speed and magnetic intensity, which is critical in calculating how it is about to change. Check NOAA's 30-minute forecast or use the Glendale App. The Northern Lights are caused by the solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. Last weekend saw a surge in solar activity, with eight M-rated solar flares — an intense burst of electromagnetic radiation — between Friday and Monday. Solar flares travel at light speed and fuel the solar wind throughout the solar system but do not cause aurora. Unusually, these solar flares didn't come from sunspots, dark patches on the sun's surface indicating intense magnetic activity. Instead, they resulted when two magnetic filaments detached from the sun. Magnetic filaments were described as 'long tubes of dense plasma held above the sun's surface by magnetic forces,' by which reported that they became unstable 'twice in quick succession on April 12th and 13th—a rare double blast.' Crucially, following the solar flares and the exploding filaments, two CMEs were produced. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
