Australia’s southeastern regions were treated to a breathtaking spectacle of the Aurora Australis, ushering in the new year with a stunning light show. On New Year’s Day, the southern lights graced the skies over Tasmania and parts of Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales, leaving observers in awe.

From the evening of January 1 through to the early hours of January 2, brilliant streaks of green and purple illuminated the skies. The phenomenon was visible to the naked eye, thanks to clear skies and an intense geomagnetic storm, which combined to produce an extraordinary auroral display. Photos and videos of the lights flooded social media, as many users shared their excitement and wonder.

One user shared a time-lapse video of the Aurora, captured in Perth, Western Australia.

Aurora Timelapse From Last Nights G4 KP8 Solar Storm From Perth, Western Australia Between 10:20pm And 11:00pm ???? #AuroraAustralis #MooningCrew #Perth #PerthNews #PerthWeather #SouthWestWA #SolarStorm #WesternAustralia pic.twitter.com/GnHeParqTi

— Weather WA (@weather_wa) January 1, 2025

Another post had a series of photos of spectacular Aurora Australis, highlighting the strong geomagnetic activity “with the Kp index fluctuating around 6 and 7!”

The sun surprised people who were under a clear sky in Northern Europe with beautiful New Year’s Eve Aurora Borealis. Kp above 5 – at times above 6! The “Australis” variant continues in Australia and New Zealand right now with the Kp index fluctuating around 6 and 7! pic.twitter.com/VTWslGRx9e

— AuroraNotifier (@aurora_notifier) January 1, 2025

The Kp index is a scale used to measure the strength of geomagnetic activity. The higher the Kp index, the stronger the geomagnetic storm.

Here are a few more posts with stunning images of Aurora Australis.

Aurora now
Look south
Huge naked eye beams #Tasmania #auroraaustralis pic.twitter.com/VSimlJqQ4R

— Vince Taskunas (@VinceTaskunas) January 1, 2025

Took the Canon EOS 1200D out to Queenstown Airport Tasmania and got these
Aurora Australis 01 01 2025 (@BrownSquirrel) pic.twitter.com/DROqE7PuWU

— Courtney Lee (Eli Noah’s Mum) ????x 5 (@CeeEllEss_33) January 1, 2025

Aurora Australis right now. Tasmania. pic.twitter.com/Ow30l4n87K

— James L (@JKyL5) January 1, 2025

In Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, the aurora was so vivid that it was visible despite the usual interference from city lights. The light show dazzled with vibrant hues of green and purple, clearly visible in the urban area, according to ABC News.

I’m up late but wow the Aurora from my window has made it worth it!#tasmania #auroraaustralis pic.twitter.com/voQQjAZHl1

— Chris Bowditch (@chrisbowditch) January 1, 2025

Similarly, residents of Western Australia enjoyed the spectacle in well-lit locations near Perth, where the aurora was visible in its full glory.

Further south, the picturesque town of Margaret River, known for its wine and food tourism, also saw the southern lights illuminate the sky.

The Aurora Australis, which occurs as a result of a geomagnetic storm, is produced when charged particles from the sun collide with Earth’s magnetic field. This interaction causes the atmospheric colours that are visible during such events. With the sun nearing the peak of its 11-year magnetic cycle, solar activity is at an all-time high, resulting in an increased frequency of auroral displays.

Photo Credit: Indian Institute of Astrophysics and Bhabha Atomic Research Center

In Ladakh’s Hanle and Leh, the aurora-lit skies were captured on camera by scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru and the Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Mumbai stationed there.

A statement issued by the Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), said “For an extraordinary fourth time during the current solar cycle, intense red-coloured Auroral activity was seen from Ladakh, India, and was photographed by astronomers of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) from Hanle, Leh, and Merak on the night of 10-11 October  2024.” 

Photo Credit: AFP

The CME that caused this spectacle was particularly potent, having erupted from a section of the Sun aimed directly at Earth. Juha-Pekka Luntama, head of the European Space Agency’s Space Weather Office, described it as a “perfect hit.”  

Skies across Fish Creek, south of Melbourne,  in Australia, were also lit up in this vibrant display of colours which is typically referred to as Aurora Australis, or the Southern Lights, in the southern hemisphere. 

Photo Credit: AFP

The geomagnetic storm that produced these lights also had their influence seen in Washington DC. The US Space Weather Prediction Center warned that ongoing severe weather conditions linked to hurricanes Helene and Milton could exacerbate disruptions to emergency services. 

As solar activity approaches its peak in an 11-year cycle, these storms pose risks to satellites, GPS systems, and power grids. Looking ahead, there may be additional opportunities to witness auroras in the coming years as solar activity continues to rise.

New Delhi:

NASA has recorded two explosions on the surface of the sun which unleashed powerful solar flares on Friday and Saturday. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory meticulously documented the solar eruptions which sent ripples of electromagnetic energy hurtling towards Earth. 

“The Sun emitted two strong solar flares on May 10-11, 2024, peaking at 9:23 p.m. EDT on May 10, and 7:44 a.m. EDT on May 11. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured images of the events, which were classified as X5.8 and X1.5-class flares,” NASA said in a statement. 

The Sun emitted two strong solar flares on May 10-11, 2024, peaking at 9:23 p.m. EDT on May 10, and 7:44 a.m. EDT on May 11. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured images of the events, which were classified as X5.8 and X1.5-class flares. https://t.co/nLfnG1OvvEpic.twitter.com/LjmI0rk2Wm

— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) May 11, 2024

What followed was a cosmic spectacle, as Earth braced for the impact of these solar storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued alerts as the first of several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) surged towards our planet. 

For skywatchers across the globe, this celestial drama unfolded in stunning auroras that painted the skies with vibrant hues of pink, green, and purple. From northern Europe to Australia’s Tasmania, sky-gazers were able to capture stunning photos courtesy of the rare phenomena. 

Solar storms, while mesmerising, pose potential risks to technological infrastructure. Fluctuating magnetic fields induced by geomagnetic storms can disrupt power grids, communication networks, and satellite operations.

Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and Starlink, acknowledged the challenges posed by the solar storm, noting the strain on satellite operations. Despite concerns, Musk reassured that SpaceX’s satellites were well equipped to handle the solar storm.