Aurora australis set to light up Australian sky as agencies monitor ‘severe solar storm’

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Eelemarni Close-BrownJanuary 20, 2026 at 07:40 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

A severe geomagnetic storm is expected to make the aurora australis, or southern lights, visible in parts of Australia on January 20th. The Bureau of Meteorology issued an alert, stating that the storm, triggered by a solar flare on January 18th, could allow viewing as far north as Victoria and New South Wales. While New Zealand and Tasmania have the best viewing prospects, Australians may have a chance to see the aurora due to recent favorable conditions. The National Emergency Management Agency is monitoring the storm, which could also potentially disrupt power grids. Astrophysicists explain that solar storms eject particles and plasma from the sun, which interact with Earth's magnetic field to create the aurora.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Tasmania 30% New Zealand 30% Earth ×240% Hannah Schunker ×240% New South Wales ×250% Victoria ×250% Sara Webb ×250% National Emergency Management Agency 60% Aurora Australis ×470% Australia ×480% Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) ×390%

Keywords

aurora australis 100% solar storm 90% geomagnetic storm 80% southern lights 70% bureau of meteorology 60% plasma 50% australia 50% magnetic field 50% power grid 40%