A spectacular light show is dancing across Tasmanian skies tonight as a powerful solar storm reaches Earth.
The Aurora Australis, commonly known as the Southern Lights, is currently visible from across the state.
Arun Chandran, who runs the Aurora Australis Facebook page, told Local Radio earlier today that a particularly fast-moving solar flare is responsible for tonight’s display.
“There was a strong solar flare yesterday and it arrived in 24 hours. So we are currently going through the storm,” Chandran said.
“It’s all cooked up in the sun… there’s a lot of charged particles. So usually when there is a solar flare, there is like a coronal mass ejection that comes out that’s called the CMEs.”
Tasmanians hoping to catch the celestial spectacle are advised to find a location with a clear view of the southern horizon away from light pollution.
“You need to have a clear view of south, no obstruction with trees and other things and hopefully something with clear skies,” Chandran explained.
Popular viewing spots include Mount Wellington, Tinderbox and Kingston, though Chandran suggests considering less crowded locations as popular sites may experience significant traffic.
