Live southern lights forecast
Aurora australis
forecast tonight
The same live NASA space weather data that drives the northern lights forecast — applied to the southern hemisphere. When the Kp index rises, the southern auroral oval expands toward New Zealand, Australia, and beyond. Face south from a dark site and look low on the horizon.
Tonight's forecast
Low activity expected. Solar conditions are currently quiet. Chances of aurora visibility are low tonight.
Kp index
1
of 9
Geomagnetic activity scale
Where can you see aurora australis?
The Kp index applies globally. As activity rises, the southern auroral oval expands northward toward New Zealand. Face south from a dark site and look low on the horizon.
Kp 3+
Stewart Island, southern Southland
Incoming solar events
Earth-directed CMEs with predicted arrival times.
No Earth-directed CMEs detected in the next 7 days.
Recent solar flares
M and X class flares from the past 7 days. X-class are the strongest.
10 May, 13:39 UTC
Peak time (UTC)
7 May, 15:14 UTC
Peak time (UTC)
4 May, 01:33 UTC
Peak time (UTC)
X-class flares frequently trigger CMEs. Arrival 1-3 days later can produce aurora australis storms.
Data fetched at 11 May, 16:06 UTC · Refreshes every 30 minutes
Tips for viewing aurora australis
Dark skies
Get away from city light pollution. Rural coastlines and headlands facing south are best. The Otago Peninsula, Mackenzie Basin, and Stewart Island give the darkest accessible positions in New Zealand.
Clear skies
Cloud cover is the biggest obstacle. Check a local weather forecast. The east coast of New Zealand and the Mackenzie Basin tend to be clearer than the west coast.
Face south
Stand with your back to the north and face the southern horizon. Aurora australis appears in the south — the opposite direction from the northern lights. A clear unobstructed southern horizon is essential.
Right time
Peak aurora hours are between 10 pm and 2 am local time. June to August gives the longest dark nights in New Zealand. The September equinox is often the most geomagnetically active period of the year.
Aurora australis visibility by location
Stewart Island
Rakiura — New Zealand's southernmost aurora spot
Queenstown
Remarkables dark sky, Kp 4-5 needed
Dunedin
Otago Peninsula — south coast dark sky
Christchurch
Lake Tekapo Dark Sky Reserve nearby
Hobart
Tasmania — Australia's lowest aurora threshold
Falls Creek
Victorian Alps — 1600 m elevation, Kp 6-7
Melbourne
Point Nepean and Wilson's Promontory, Kp 7
Cape Town
Cape Point — extreme storm required, Kp 7-8
Aurora australis at a glance
Aurora australis follows the same rules as the northern lights. When the Kp index rises above the local threshold, the southern auroral oval expands northward toward New Zealand and Australia. The key practical difference from high-latitude aurora chasing is direction: face south, not north. A clear, unobstructed southern horizon is the primary requirement.
New Zealand's South Island sits between 55°S and 59°S magnetic latitude — within range during moderate geomagnetic storms. Stewart Island at 59°S has the lowest threshold. Tasmania and southern mainland Australia (48–54°S) need Kp 5-7. South Africa at 42–43°S is at the extreme equatorward limit, requiring Kp 7-8 and a G4-G5 storm. Peak season across the southern hemisphere is June to August, when nights are longest.
Related pages
Aurora Locations Worldwide
Global hub for all aurora forecast regions.
Aurora Australis New Zealand
New Zealand aurora hub — Stewart Island, Queenstown, Dunedin.
Aurora Australis Australia
Australia aurora hub — Tasmania, Victorian Alps, Melbourne.
Aurora Australis South Africa
South Africa — SAAO Sutherland and Cape Town, extreme storm required.
What Is the Kp Index?
How the Kp scale works and why latitude sets the threshold.
Common questions
Aurora australis — how it works, when to look, and where to go in New Zealand, Australia, and beyond.