Riverina sky gazers have a second chance to tick off a bucket-list item, as an aurora australis is expected to light up the night for the second evening in a row.
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The Bureau of Meteorology's Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) has forecasted a level G3 (strong) event for May 12.
This follows the G5 (extreme) geomagnetic storm on May 11, which was the first G5-level storm observed since 2003.
Astronomer Michael Maher was at The Rock Regional Observatory for a regular Saturday night event, when cars began rolling through the gates full of stargazers eager to catch a glimpse of the aurora australis.
Lucky lookers
Although cloud cover was expected, the onlookers at The Rock were rewarded by a "stroke of luck".
"A huge area of sky opened up to the south and we just got all our chairs out, we didn't bother with telescopes," Wagga astronomer Michael Maher said.
"The southern lights were simply as we've never seen them before."
Normally only visible from southern Victoria and Tasmania, Riverina residents reported seeing the lights from after 7pm on May 11.
"Most people understood this is a once in a lifetime event for them," Mr Maher said.
Better than Scandinavia
Geomagnetic storms including the Northern Lights, are major tourist attractions in some northern hemisphere locations and antarctica, however, Mr Maher said the phenomena he witnessed was just as good.
"It's saved a lot of people money because they don't have to go to Norway anymore," Mr Maher said.
"I've seen some photos coming out of Norway, and these are as good as it."
Photographers around Australia capture the phenomena on anything from iPhones to professional cameras.
Due to it's southern latitude, parts of Tasmania observed brighter displays.
The G3 event may be visible from many parts of the Riverina, with residents recommended to go outside and look south tonight.
The Rock Regional Observatory is usually closed on a Sunday night, however, Mr Maher said people are welcome to visit and look out for any southern light action tonight.
"In Norway it's cold and unpleasant ... when it finishes, you go home and sleep in your own bed, so get on down to The Rock tonight," he said.
Emily Anderson
Emily is a reporter for The Daily Advertiser, based in Wagga. She loves keeping people in the loop about what's going on around them, and getting to the bottom of a good story. Got a lead - big or small? Flick an email to emily.anderson@austcommunitymedia.com.au Follow on insta @emilywyanderson
Emily is a reporter for The Daily Advertiser, based in Wagga. She loves keeping people in the loop about what's going on around them, and getting to the bottom of a good story. Got a lead - big or small? Flick an email to emily.anderson@austcommunitymedia.com.au Follow on insta @emilywyanderson
