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Tonight's aurora verdict — Queensland
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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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- Bz
- —nT (south good)
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Queensland sits the furthest north of any Australian state, so the Aurora Australis appears only during severe geomagnetic storms — typically a planetary Kp of 8 or higher (G4 severe storm and above). The May and October 2024 G5 storms produced rare displays visible from south-east Queensland, the Granite Belt and the Darling Downs. For southern Queenslanders willing to chase, the highest practical viewing sites are Girraween National Park and the Bunya Mountains, both of which combine Bortle 3 skies with an open southern horizon. Aurora viewing in Queensland is best treated as a once-a-year event aligned with the strongest CME impacts of the current 2024–2026 solar maximum. This page shows tonight's planetary Kp and the conditions needed for a visible display.
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 Queensland — 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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