Aurora australis possible on Friday night, cloud and moonlight permitting

Aurora Australis Possible on Friday Night

The vibrant aurora australis may be seen from southern Australia on Friday night, weather and moonlight permitting, following a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun.

What Is a Coronal Mass Ejection?

CMEs are bursts of solar material and magnetic fields ejected from the sun. When they reach Earth, they can trigger geomagnetic storms that sometimes produce auroras at high latitudes near the poles in both hemispheres. These auroral displays manifest as colorful lights in the night sky.

Recent Solar Activity

On November 5, two CMEs were detected from the sun, leading the Bureau of Meteorology’s Space Weather Service to issue an aurora watch starting 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.”

Photo Example

Image: Aurora australis captured from Shoalhaven, NSW in June 2025. Source: @micksamsonphoto / Instagram

Additional Information

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Beware that visibility depends on cloud cover and moonlight during local night hours.

Author's summary: A recent coronal mass ejection may produce a visible aurora australis over southern Australia Friday night, contingent on clear skies and moonlight conditions.

Weatherzone — 2025-11-07