The aurora australis, or southern lights, put on a spectacular display across multiple Australian states on Tuesday night, with reports of sightings as far north as Hamilton Island in Queensland. The phenomenon was visible in Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia.
The light show was triggered by a severe solar storm hitting Earth, causing shimmering and pulsating pastel-colored lights, as well as bright pinks and purples to fill the sky. Dr. Rebecca Allen, co-director of the Space Technology and Industry Institute at Swinburne University of Technology, noted that such events have become more frequent due to the sun's active cycle.
Dr. Sara Webb, an astrophysicist at Swinburne, described the widespread visibility as rare, saying, 'It is rare that it has crept so far up that many of us who wouldn't normally see it have experienced this.' She added that aurora activity is expected to decline over the next 11 years as the sun enters a new phase.
The severe geomagnetic storm also generated auroras at low latitudes in the northern hemisphere. Enthusiasts captured stunning images, including Liv Brock, who photographed the aurora alongside bioluminescence at Goat Bluff. One Facebook user described the event as 'totally OFF THE CHARTS!!!'
