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Tonight's aurora verdict — South Australia
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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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Best aurora viewing locations in South Australia
These dark-sky lookouts combine an unobstructed view toward the southern ocean with minimal light pollution. Peak viewing in South Australia runs march to september during g2+ geomagnetic storms.
Cape Jervis
Adelaide — 1 h 30 min
Fleurieu Peninsula south-facing point — closest dark-sky aurora spot to Adelaide.
Port Willunga
Adelaide — 50 min
Beach with low light pollution and unobstructed southern ocean view. Beware moonrise timing.
South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and the Limestone Coast deliver the state's best Aurora Australis viewing. Adelaide sits at 35°S, so South Australians typically need a planetary Kp of 6 for clearly visible aurora and Kp 5 for photographable glow on the southern horizon. Cape Jervis, Port Willunga and Rapid Bay are the closest dark-sky sites to the capital, with the open Southern Ocean providing an uninterrupted view toward the auroral oval. Mount Gambier and the south-east coast often see the strongest displays in the state thanks to lower latitude and minimal coastal light pollution. With the Sun near solar maximum through 2026, geomagnetic storms producing visible aurora across South Australia now happen several times per year. This page shows tonight's planetary Kp, the 24-hour forecast and the state's best aurora viewing locations.
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 South Australia — 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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