Thanks to the increased solar activity over the last few days, Aurora sightings are up. This is an image taken last night from Tasmania that shows just how gorgeous the universe can be.
This image by John Esling is astoundingly good. Who knew that the fiery rage of the sun could translate into a gorgeous light show in the Tasmanian sky? Check out John’s Flickr page for more.
Image: John Esling
I had no idea aurora's were visible that far north of the pole. That is all kinds of awesome.
on a really good night, I've seen them in Melbourne but its been years and years since that day
It just depends on the power and direction of the solar flare. Big one the other day.
If we are going to get an aurora in Melbourne again it will be in the next two years.
Heres hoping!
Years ago, when I was a child, my father showed me the Aurora Australis. We could see it from a small town in the north-west of NSW! The town's name is Pilliga, if you'd like to find out just where it is.
I've seen it in Melbourne once, but that was nearly 20 years ago, and nowhere as beautiful as this pic.
It was very eerie though, to see the black night sky start to glow and shimmer.
We didn't know what it was until we saw the news the next day.
My parents have seen it at Port Lincoln
I was in Tassie earlier this year then the Aurora's were happening, but unfortunately I didn't get a chance to see one. Hopefully they're active next year, I'd love to see it. Meanwhile, I'll keep my eyes out here in Melbourne, although I probably live a little too far north to see them from my place.
Just so long as we don't get one visible at the equator! (google "Carrington Event")
thanks, top story
for the rest of you
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2008/06may_carringtonflare/
That flare or CME a couple of months back made auroras visible almost to the tropics.
Click on the image to enlarge and you get a pic of a screen cap including the scroll bars. Awesome.
grrr this annoys me. ive lived in Tassie most of my life and ive never seen it.