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Tonight's aurora verdict — New South Wales
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Live Kp index and 24-hour forecast
Current planetary Kp
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Solar wind right now
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- —km/s
- Bz
- —nT (south good)
- Density
- —p/cm³
Best aurora viewing locations in New South Wales
These dark-sky lookouts combine an unobstructed view toward the tasman sea / southern horizon with minimal light pollution. Peak viewing in New South Wales runs g3+ storms during march–september.
Eden — Boyd's Tower
Eden — 25 min
Far South Coast clifftop facing Bass Strait — best NSW spot for southern aurora glow.
New South Wales sits north of the auroral oval, so the Aurora Australis is visible only during strong geomagnetic storms — typically G3 or higher with a planetary Kp around 7. When it does appear, NSW's best viewing is along the Far South Coast (Eden, Boyd Tower, Green Cape) and the high alpine country around Perisher and Charlotte Pass, both of which combine dark Bortle 2–3 skies with an unobstructed southern horizon. The current 2024–2026 solar maximum has produced rare G5 events visible from Sydney itself in May and October 2024. For most nights, expect Kp 3–4 in NSW; aurora here is a special-event chase rather than a regular outing. This page shows tonight's planetary Kp, the 24-hour forecast and the practical Kp threshold to plan a drive south.
Kp index — what it means in Australia
The planetary Kp index runs 0–9. Higher Kp pushes the aurora further from the magnetic pole, making it visible from lower latitudes.
Kp 0–3 — Quiet
No aurora visible from mainland Australia. Possible faint glow at extreme southern Tasmania.
Kp 4 — Unsettled
Camera-only horizon glow possible from southern Tasmania.
Kp 5 (G1) — Minor storm
Visible aurora across Tasmania. Faint glow on horizon from Victoria, South Australia and far-south WA.
Kp 6 (G2) — Moderate storm
Bright aurora overhead in Tasmania. Clearly visible from VIC, SA and southern WA coasts.
Kp 7 (G3) — Strong storm
Vivid colour visible from VIC/SA/WA. Reaches as far north as Sydney and Perth.
Kp 8 (G4) — Severe storm
Aurora visible from NSW, WA and southern QLD. Once-a-year event.
Kp 9 (G5) — Extreme storm
Aurora visible from the entire continent including Brisbane and Darwin. Once-a-decade event.
Related forecasts & resources
Aurora New South Wales — Frequently asked questions
Live Kp, OVATION map and storm alerts from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. Australian context from the Bureau of Meteorology Space Weather Services.
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