The colourful aurora australis may be visible from southern parts of Australia on Friday night, weather and moonlight permitting, following a recent coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun.
CMEs are eruptions of solar material and magnetic fields from the sun. When one reaches Earth, it can trigger geomagnetic storms, sometimes causing auroral displays near the poles in both Earth’s northern and southern hemispheres. These displays appear as vivid colours lighting up the night sky.
On November 5, two CMEs were detected emanating from the sun, prompting the Bureau of Meteorology’s Space Weather Service to issue an aurora watch on November 6.
“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.”
Image: Aurora australis observed from Shoalhaven, NSW, in June 2025. Source: @micksamsonphoto / Instagram
Summary: Following recent solar eruptions, southern Australia may witness the aurora australis on Friday night if cloud cover and moonlight conditions allow.