Southern Aurora photos taken from Ulverstone, Tasmania, Australia by Paul Anderson on 18 August 2003
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Report on Observation of Southern Aurora on 18-19 August 2003
We received a text message of an Aurora Alert in Hobart on Monday 18 August 2003 at about 1700 hours Australian Eastern Standard Time. Observed aurora intermittently from Blackmans Bay 20 km south of Hobart between 2000 hours AEST on 18 August and 0200 hours AEST on 19 August. Clear sky and moon in last quarter. 8pm - observed "searchlights" rising from horizon up to 50 degrees elevation. Midnight - observed green arc extending across southern sky. 2am - observed waves of white light extending across the southern sky about 60 degrees and rolling from the horizon up to 40 degrees elevation with a period of about 1 second (like waves rolling onto a beach). Spectacular.
Report by Dallas and Beth Stott, Blackmans Bay, Tasmania, Australia
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In Australia the Southern Lights may be seen from as far north as Armidale in NSW under good viewing conditions. The best conditions are no clouds or moon and minimal artificial light. You can subscribe to receive an SMS message or email alert of possible impending auroras from the Australian Space Agency Weather Agency at the following links. They observe sunspot activity.
Australian Space Weather Agency - IPS Radio and Space Services