The southern lights have been spectacular lately. It won’t take

In recent days we have been treated to some beautiful Aurora Australis Light displays, but do not expect the glow to last forever.

The 11-year cycle of the sun means that we are currently in the middle of an explosion of Aurora activity.

But that will simmer quickly.

What is the Aurora Australis?

It is a phenomenon when heaven in it The southern hemisphere is illuminated by glowing swirls of color.

You also hear it called the southern lights.

“Australis” comes from the Latin word for “Southern”.

In the northern hemisphere it is called the Aurora Borealis or the Noorderlicht.

What causes an Aurora Australis?

Geomagnetic storms.

It is activated by something that is called coronal mass droppings.

“A coronal mass collection is the literal eject of material from the sun in space,” says Australian Space Weather Forecing Center (ASWFC) predictor Andrew Jackling.

This sends charged particles from the sun to the earth, causing geomagnetic storms that can disturb the magnetic field of the earth.

“A bit like in a normal thunderstorm, your shutters on your house would rattle a little through the wind and the rain,” he said.

In a geomagnetic storm, The disruption can cause oxygen and nitrogen atoms to broadcast clearly, colorful light in the atmosphere.

Why has there been so many Aurora activities lately?

“There was A large solar storm On May 31, “says Australian National University astrophysicist Brad Tucker.

“The storm was large enough to activate a G4 storm on earth.

“The scale is 1-5, such as cyclones, with G5 the largest.”

Here are some of the latest photos, posted on The ABCs obsessed with Facebook group:

Although auroras are usually limited to the southernmost parts of the country, there were observations as far north as Tamworth in New South Wales.

And a large part of this is because of where we are in the solar cycle, which applies approximately 11 years.

“The current solar cycle began in 2019, since what time the solar activity in general has increased as the sun progresses to the maximum of the sun, which officially started in October 2024,” says Mr Jackling.

And that means spectacular auroras.

“During Zonne -Maxima, where we are, the sun produces more storms and more extreme storms,” ​​says Dr. Tucker.

“The activity is stronger, so it produces more of this.”

But it is not only the individual storm of recent days.

In the past year we have had a number of fairly spectacular aurora displays – view the ABC’s collection of photos from January, October, September and last July.

However, the most striking Aurora displays took place in May 2024, when a G5 storm hit the earth.

It was the largest geomagnetic storm we had seen in 20 years, Nasa says.

Although it did not cause any catastrophic damage, the event was so great that it was given a name – Gannon Storm – and was the subject of a large NASA study.

How long will this period last?

The maximum for solar energy can continue Another year or twoSays Mr Jackling.

“By 2027, the solar activity will probably be reduced from the current levels, making geomagnetic storms and the subsequent auroral displays have less chance of acting,” he says.

However, it is difficult to say exactly how long the Aurora Boom will last.

“Every 11-year period of maximum activity varies in strength,” says Dr. Tucker.

“Just as the summers vary in what is called they are, or how wet/cold winters are, the same, with the sun, so some periods are better and others are less.

“This has been a good period.”

Does this mean that there will be no Auroras after 2027?

No, they can still happen.

“Substantial space weather can also occur at other times in the cycle,” says Mr. Jackling.

Aurora Australis activity, however, may not be visibly as far to the north at this time as we have enjoyed lately.

So Aurora Chasers may have to travel much further south.

“There is still a often low level of activity in the quiet years that you can get, but you have to be very close to the South or North Pole, that’s why people travel to the polar circle to see them,” says Dr. Tucker.

It is also important to remember that the solar cycle means that we are coming back to another maximum for solar energy – we just have to wait about a decade.

Does this also apply to the Northern Lights?

Yes.

“The northern and southern lights are being hit equally so that they will also reduce,” says Dr. Tucker.

However, people in the northern hemisphere have a better chance of seeing an aurora.

“It is generally easier to see the northern lights than the southern lights because of the geographical distribution of land in the northern hemisphere, where more populated areas are closer to the northern polar region,” says Mr. Jackkling.

“This is where the solar cycle is at all times.”

How can I catch the next Aurora Australis?

The ASWFC, which is part of the Bureau or Meteorology, sends geomagnetic storm warnings via e -mail.

If you Register with the ASWFC warnings Via this online portalYou will receive an e -mail if there is a warning.