Aurora Australis Possible on Friday Night
The colourful aurora australis may be visible from southern Australia on Friday night, weather and moonlight permitting, following a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun.
What is a CME?
CMEs are eruptions of solar material and magnetic fields from the sun. When a CME reaches Earth, it can cause a geomagnetic storm that sometimes produces auroral displays at high latitudes near the poles in both hemispheres.
These displays appear as vibrant colours in the night sky.
“A coronal mass ejection is expected to impact the Earth within the next 48 hours, possibly resulting in significant geomagnetic activity and visible auroras during local nighttime hours.”
Recent Solar Activity and Observatory Alerts
Two CMEs were detected from the sun on November 5, leading the Bureau of Meteorology’s Space Weather Service to issue an aurora watch on November 6.
Additional Notes
- Image: Aurora australis from Shoalhaven, NSW in June 2025. Source: @micksamsonphoto / Instagram
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Author’s summary: A coronal mass ejection from the sun may produce visible auroras over southern Australia this Friday night, depending on clear skies and moonlight.