Western Australia is about to light up.
A powerful solar storm is colliding with Earth’s atmosphere tonight — and if the weather holds, locals could see the Aurora Australis dancing across the Perth skyline for the first time in years.
The Perth Observatory has called it “one of the best setups we’ve seen in a long time.” With skies dark, the moon delayed, and the strongest wave of solar energy expected to hit around 8:00 pm, the timing couldn’t be better.
In short: this is your shot to witness something extraordinary — right here in WA.
Why the sky is glowing tonight
Earlier today, three separate solar flares erupted from the Sun. The first two brushed past Earth mid-morning, but the third and biggest CME is arriving just as WA heads into darkness.
When those charged particles crash into our upper atmosphere, they excite oxygen and nitrogen atoms — releasing energy in the form of shimmering bands of colour.
Matt Woods from the Perth Observatory is cautiously optimistic for tonight’s show — normally, you’d have to travel further south to Albany or Esperance to witness a proper aurora. But tonight’s storm is set to be strong enough that even Perth’s northern suburbs may register a glow.
Best places to watch Aurora Australis around Perth
If you’re heading out, aim for dark, open skies away from city lights. The Observatory’s top recommended viewing spots:
- North Ledge Lookout (Mundaring)
- Lake Leschenaultia
- Herron Point & Island Reserve
- Ferguson Valley
- Cape Leeuwin
- Esperance & Albany
- Central Wheatbelt plains
If you’re based in Perth metro, anywhere with a clear southern horizon works — think Kings Park ridges or Roleystone hills.
Tip: Allow at least 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark — and let your camera sensor do the heavy lifting.
How to best capture Aurora Australis on your phone
For those looking to capture tonight’s colours with the use of your phone, switch to a manual mode, reduce exposure time accordingly, stabilise the phone on a tripod or (lean it on something), and set it to capture for several seconds. The colours you’ll capture may be far richer than what your naked eye sees.
If you miss tonight
Don’t worry if you miss the Aurora Australis action in Perth tonight. The Sun is entering its most active phase in over a decade, known as the solar maximum. That means stronger and more frequent solar storms — and more aurora chances across WA over the next 6 to 12 months. So, pending weather — we should have a few more chances to come.
