Live aurora forecast

Northern lights in Albany tonight

Western Australia · 48° magnetic latitude · Kp 5-6 threshold

Aurora visibility · Albany
1/9
Unlikely tonight

Kp 1 is well below the Kp 5-6 threshold needed for aurora to be visible from Albany.

QuietStormExtreme
Threshold
Kp 5-6
Magnetic latitude
~48°S
Bz ↓ south
- nT
Solar wind
- km/s
Density
- p/cm³
Cloud
-
Conditions right now: - Kp + Bz + solar wind + cloud + moon

Updated: 13 Jul, 07:06 UTC

7-day outlook for Albany

Today
13 Jul
1
Quiet
Tomorrow
14 Jul
3
Quiet
Wed
15 Jul
3
Quiet
Thu
16 Jul
3
Quiet
Fri
17 Jul
3
Quiet
Sat
18 Jul
3
Quiet
Sun
19 Jul
3
Quiet

Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.

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What Kp is needed here?

Albany sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 48°S. The Kp index - a global measure of geomagnetic activity on a scale from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme storm), updated every 3 hours - needs to reach Kp 5-6 before the auroral oval expands far enough north to be visible from here.

At Kp 5-6, visibility is possible from Albany but skies need to be clear and dark. Cloud cover and light pollution remain the main obstacles even when Kp is high enough.

Plan your viewing

Best dark sky sites near Albany

Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark southern horizon within reach.

Torndirrup National Park

Get directions ↗
Bortle Class 3 - Rural sky 10 km south of Albany - approximately 15 minute drive

The granite headlands and cliff tops of Torndirrup National Park give direct exposure to the Southern Ocean. The Natural Bridge and The Gap lookouts face south-southwest with no land between here and Antarctica. Light pollution from Albany is to the north, leaving the southern sky essentially unaffected. The park road is sealed and accessible at night. From the southern headlands, the horizon drops directly to open ocean. At Kp 5-6, aurora australis appears as a green or white arc low to the south. One of the most accessible south-coast dark sky positions in Western Australia.

Bald Head

Get directions ↗
Bortle Class 2-3 - Excellent dark sky 15 km southeast of Albany - approximately 2 hour return walk

A quartzite headland at the tip of the Flinders Peninsula, reached by a 9 km return walk from the Cheynes Beach car park in Torndirrup National Park. The elevated position gives 180° southern sky exposure with Bald Head dropping away to the Southern Ocean on three sides. No artificial light is visible from the headland. Bortle Class 2-3 conditions. The walk requires a headtorch and is not recommended in poor conditions. For serious aurora photography, this position offers the clearest southern horizon in the Albany area.

Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve

Get directions ↗
Bortle Class 3 - Rural sky 35 km east of Albany - approximately 30 minute drive

A coastal reserve with beaches and headlands facing south across Bremer Bay. Little Beach and the reserve headlands give south-facing positions away from Albany's light dome. The reserve is low-traffic and dark on clear nights. Drive east from Albany on Lower Denmark Road and Nanarup Road. The beaches are sandy and flat, making viewing comfortable. An alternative to Torndirrup for observers who prefer a beach position over cliff-top viewing. The reserve coastline is less developed and darker than the main Albany foreshore.

When to go

Best time to see the aurora australis in Albany

At 48°S magnetic latitude, Albany sits at the outer edge of regular aurora australis territory. Only the southern winter months, May through July, occasionally bring storms powerful enough to push the oval this far north. Outside this window, there is insufficient darkness for aurora to be visible.

Activity peaks around the March and September equinoxes, when Earth's magnetic field geometry is most favourable for coupling with the solar wind. These windows produce the strongest aurora australis events of the year for observers at this latitude.

Outside May through July, twilight prevents aurora visibility even during significant geomagnetic storms. The season is short, but equinox months on either side of winter can extend it when timing is favourable.

Up to 8 locations

Albany

Australia

Unlikely
Kp 1 need Kp 5-6
Checking darkness…
Esperance

Australia

Unlikely
Kp 1 need Kp 5-6
Checking darkness…
Western Australia

Australia

Unlikely
Kp 1 need Kp 6
Checking darkness…
The odds

How often does the aurora appear in Albany?

Average nights per month the Kp reached Albany's threshold of 5+, from 15 years of geomagnetic data (2010–2024).

1.2Jan
1.3Feb
1.6Mar
1.4Apr
1.2May
1Jun
1.2Jul
1.4Aug
1.5Sep
1.5Oct
1.2Nov
1.1Dec

Counts the Kp 5+ threshold only - cloud cover and local darkness are not included.
Kp data: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, CC BY 4.0

Make it happen

Plan your trip to Albany

Based on 15 years of geomagnetic data (2010–2024)

1st
March
1.6
avg aurora nights
Requires an extended stay
2nd
September
1.5
avg aurora nights
Requires an extended stay
3rd
October
1.5
avg aurora nights
Requires an extended stay

Best window

The August to October window averages 4 aurora nights - the strongest consecutive stretch of the year.

How long to stay

Aurora at this latitude requires patience - allow as many nights as possible during March.

Aurora activity peaks at the March and September equinoxes in both hemispheres. This is driven by the angle of Earth's magnetic field relative to the solar wind, not by local seasons. Winter months at this latitude offer longer dark nights for observing, but March and September average the highest number of aurora nights in the historical data.

From the community

Aurora photographs from Albany

Real photos sourced from Wikimedia Commons.

Aurora over AlbanyAurora over Albany
Aurora over AlbanyAurora over Albany
Aurora over AlbanyAurora over Albany
Aurora over AlbanyAurora over Albany
Aurora over AlbanyAurora over Albany
Aurora over AlbanyAurora over Albany
Questions

Common questions about aurora in Albany

Can you see aurora australis from Albany?
Yes. Albany is one of the best positions for aurora australis in mainland Australia. At 48°S magnetic latitude with direct Southern Ocean exposure, Kp 5-6 is enough from the headlands of Torndirrup National Park. Albany sits on a sheltered harbour, but the national park 10 km south gives cliff-top positions facing directly over open water. The G5 storm of May 2024 produced vivid southern lights visible from Albany and the surrounding coast.
What Kp is needed for aurora at Albany?
Kp 5-6 from Torndirrup National Park and Bald Head. At 48°S magnetic latitude, Albany is within range of the auroral oval during moderate G1-G2 storms. This makes Albany one of the more accessible mainland aurora positions in Australia. Kp 5 events occur several times per year during solar maximum. The clear, south-facing ocean horizon at the Torndirrup headlands means faint aurora is more detectable here than from sheltered inland sites.
Where are the best dark sky sites near Albany?
Torndirrup National Park (10 km south) is the first choice - sealed road access, cliff-top southern horizon, minimal light pollution. Bald Head (15 km southeast) is darker but requires a 2-hour return walk on the Flinders Peninsula track. Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve (35 km east) gives beach-level positions facing south. All three face directly over the Southern Ocean with Albany's town glow well to the north behind you.
When is the best time for aurora australis in Albany?
May to August gives the longest dark nights. Albany at 35°S geographic has around 12-13 hours of darkness in mid-winter. The September equinox is statistically the most active geomagnetic period of the year. Albany's southern WA position gives relatively stable weather compared to the wetter southwest. Set up space weather alerts and monitor the 7-day Kp forecast before making the trip to Torndirrup.
How does Albany compare to Esperance for aurora?
Both sit at approximately 48°S magnetic latitude and share similar Kp 5-6 thresholds. Esperance is more remote with darker skies at Cape Le Grand National Park - Bortle Class 2 conditions at Lucky Bay compare favourably to Bortle Class 3 at Torndirrup. Albany is more accessible from Perth (4 hours versus 7 hours). For serious aurora photography in Western Australia with best possible skies, Esperance edges ahead. For a practical aurora base with good infrastructure, Albany is the better option.
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