Aurora for Souther Australia.

[BilliGoatsGruff]

I was just wondering if anyone knows what parts of southern Australia will get to see the Aurora? Is it only coastal regions?

[ChrisM]

Doesn't look that promising just yet....http://services.swpc.noaa.gov/images/aurora-forecast-southern-hemisphere.png

But it would pay to keep an eye on it.

[Paul Haese]

Clouds! Again! Last time I missed out on the KP 8.83 event but got the Kp5 event the following night. Consolation. No doubt that will happen again.

[N1]

Spent a great couple of hours in superb seeing until the aurora started at about 1.30 NZT this morning. The kp was 5, which is nothing compared to what it's doing now:

http://solarham.net/wingkp.htm

she's going ape**** friends! :eyepop:

[N1]

Edit: Looks like the Kp is about to hit the ceiling. I feel sorry for anyone in WA who is into auroras and is sleeping through this right now...:P

[sil]

all i got was street light glare and cloud cover, not that i have much view from home. fingers crossed for tonight.

[rustigsmed]

cloudy down here, although someone snapped some good shots in Traralgon http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-23/photographer-captures-amazing-aurora-australis-over-victoria/6566074

less cloud predicted tonight however; fingers crossed there is a show still to be had.

[BilliGoatsGruff]

I'm going to assume that I'm too far inland to see it, but if anyone else does and manages to get photos, feel free to share them with us! :D

[N1]

This just in.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/69641779/radar-fault-grounds-commercial-flights-nationwide--reports

Coincidence? ;)

Billi, the rate it's going now, anywhere in SA (read: southern OZ) is good I think! Wait till it gets dark.

[rustigsmed]

I was just looking at the bom space weather and it jumped from k4 to k5 in a matter of minutes

http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical

fingers crossed!

[glenc]

Looks like it will be good tonight
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/node/45

[kkara4]

according to Spaceweather.com, Kp is now 8. Shame it is likely to be cloudy all night here in BNE :(

[BilliGoatsGruff]

Fingers crossed the cloud will clear so that I at least have a chance to see it!

[Ausrock]

Last night's was quite visible inland NW of Newcastle, tonight may be a wash out due to cloud.

[Redshift13]

Too cloudy in Melb... :(

[Paul Haese]

Clear here in Victor Harbour in SA, there was a strong South facing Bz during moon light with some colour in images but as soon as the moon set the Bz went north. I think another bust. Sooner or later I have to see a monster kp8 and not get thwarted by clouds or unco-operative Bz.

[rustigsmed]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/80336656@N07/19081064932/in/dateposted-public/lightbox/

ehhh, got to thank Victorian weather for letting me know there was a show being missed ...

[cspruit]

Is it all over?

http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical/1/3/1

I would like to get out and look tonight (Melb).

[Redshift13]

It's died down for the moment, but I believe there was another CME yesterday, which is expected to reach earth tomorrow - Thursday - so our best bet is probably Thursday night (assuming the weather gods are favorable towards us, of course).

[sil]

What is it with Canberra and clouds? pffft, not a gap. Just have to keep and eye on kp index and sky.

[Paul Haese]

Not much to be missed really. We were out until the Bz went north radically and the Kp dropped away to 4. I captured a couple of nice beams but nothing really exciting and no visual sighting of anything. It was strange as As the Tassie website was showing KP at 7-6 for most of the night and a bz of around -14 to -11 until moon set and then it swung north. Just when it really mattered.

The is a CME going to hit about 3 am tomorrow morning and that is from the M6.5 full halo flare on the 22nd. So if you are keen it might fire up around 4-5am. Might venture out myself. Charging batteries now.

Pity I did not get up at 5am on the 23rd. Kicking myself now. Next time.

[cspruit]

Thanks for the heads up Paul. I'm guessing it's impossible to see in the light pollution of Melbourne?

[Regulus]

Billi, it just depends on the strength of the event. The height the Kp is up to (for you above 4 1/2 if the Bz is real low, and above 5 with a middling Bz, and the further into the (-) the -Bz is, then the more likely you are to see one.
Often you can photograph one without being able to see it.
Find a few places with a good southerly aspect without tall landscape features. And avoid light between you and it.
Put your camera on a tripod set at about 1600ISO, and 30~60secs at the widest aperture of a wide angle lens, and give it a go.
Strong moon light can wash out a weaker one, while 1/st and 2nd quarter can give you nice foreground nightscape details.
This page has all the info you need to get started, including the meters
http://www.aurora-service.net/aurora-forecast/ - it updates every minute (so on a smartphone you might get a jitter in the screen every minute)
Hope it helps
Trev

[BilliGoatsGruff]

It'd be great if they could forecast the Aurora at least 6 months ahead, then I could book a trip to Tassie and see it :lol: a girl can dream! I'll definitely keep an eye on the Aurora Service page though, just in case :)

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/node/45
This site is great because it has the 30 minute forecast (as Glen posted previously)

[Paul Haese]

There was nothing last night Steve. Tuesday morning you would have been in luck.

I am hoping there is another big flare in the this cycle and we get the chance to see it here. We had a chance on Tuesday morning but the forecast was for cloud and rain. It did not say it would clear for five hours from 3am. :eyepop:

[louie_the_fly]

Today's forecast (27/6) is 5-6kp from UTC 12.00 - 00.00

Maybe at a pinch from down the south coast if it's not cloudy?

[Regulus]

Well, it's a beautiful and clear sunny day here in NW Tasmania. Let's hope there is no photo worthy event tonight, so it stays lovely and clear.

Cos if I do this, :camera:then I get this :rain:. It's a proven weather phenomenon in Tas.

I have been saving a nightscape/aurora location for a big one because I believe;
a) it will be an icon picture, and
b) for a photographer friend from Sydney who visits every 3 months, or so.

She's here now for a week+ and it will be well worth the 40Klm drive to the site if it lights up. But everytime it looked good during a visit then.... I mean, the underside of clouds can be photographically interesting, but only if that's what you're aiming for.
Frustratedly Yours,
Trev
(Did I just invent a new adjective?)

[AussieTrooper]

Is there anywhere that you can sign up to get an email alert if an auroral activity is high?

[Redshift13]

Not sure about email alerts, but there is a Facebook group called "Aurora Australis Tasmania Alert NOW" which sends out alerts whenever people post to that group upon actually seeing an aurora (I'm not sure, but I assume you need the Facebook app to activate the alerts - I am a member of that group but don't use the Facebook app).

There are also numerous phone apps that can provide SMS-like notifications.