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Tonight's aurora verdict — Tasmania
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Live Kp index and 24-hour forecast
Current planetary Kp
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Best aurora viewing locations in Tasmania
These dark-sky lookouts combine an unobstructed view toward the southern ocean with minimal light pollution. Peak viewing in Tasmania runs march to september, peaking around the equinoxes.
South Arm Peninsula
Hobart — 35 min
Wide southern ocean horizon 30 min south of Hobart — Tasmania's most accessible aurora lookout.
Tinderbox Lookout
Hobart — 30 min
Elevated coastal cliffs facing south-west across the D'Entrecasteaux Channel. Minimal light pollution.
Goat Bluff (South Arm)
Hobart — 40 min
Cliff-top vantage with uninterrupted Southern Ocean view — classic Hobart aurora photography spot.
Cockle Creek
Hobart — 2 h 15 min
Australia's southern-most drivable point. Dark-sky Bortle 1-2 — exceptional conditions.
Cradle Mountain south lookout
Launceston — 2 h 30 min
World Heritage dark-sky reserve. Best for strong storms when overhead displays light up Dove Lake.
Tasmania is Australia's premier Aurora Australis viewing destination. Hobart sits at 43°S — closer to the Antarctic auroral oval than any other Australian capital — so Tasmanians regularly see the Southern Lights from dark-sky sites along the South Arm Peninsula, Tinderbox and the Tasman Peninsula several times a month during the autumn and spring equinoxes. Tasmania needs only Kp 4 for camera-detectable glow and Kp 5 for clearly visible aurora, well within the activity level of an average G1 geomagnetic storm. The Bureau of Meteorology Space Weather Services and NOAA both publish 3-day Kp forecasts that Tasmanians can act on the same evening. This page combines tonight's live planetary Kp, the 24-hour outlook, OVATION oval map and the three best dark-sky lookouts within an hour of Hobart so you can decide whether the Lights are worth the drive south tonight.
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 Tasmania — 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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