Aurora Australis to dazzle over SA skies on September 16 and 17?

There was quite the full moon aurora sky show in SA last night. Did you see it?

South Australians were treated to an aurora australis – or Southern Lights – skyshow on Monday and Tuesday nights.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre issued the alert, forecasting “significant geomagnetic activity” for 48 hours.

Their prediction was for visible auroras on Monday, September 16 - and again on Tuesday, September 17, as a spewing solar eruption impacts Earth.

And some South Aussies were lucky enough to catch the show despite a full moon lighting up the sky more than usual.

Elise Dalmaso Photography captured this amazing shot in Victor Harbor on September 17.

Aurora Australis from the Myponga Reservoir Lookout on September 17. Picture: Theo Marinos

Moana Beach in South Australia lit up with the Aurora Australis on May 11. Picture: Ben Clark Imagery

It’s not the first time South Australians have been treated to the celestial spectacle, which is usually only seen in Tasmania.

In May, the biggest geomagnetic storm in almost two decades lit up the state’s skies for several nights in a row.

It was back in August, when the Bureau of Meteorology’s Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre issued an Aurora alert and many South Aussies turned their eyes – and cameras – skywards and captured some stunning shots.

Aurora australis over South Australia in May. Picture: Sally Carpenter.

An aurora is a natural light display that glimmers in the sky within the thermosphere – one of Earth’s upper atmosphere layers.

It occurs when trapped solar particles interact with different types of gas molecules, mostly nitrogen and oxygen, then manifest into a unique display of coloured lights.

The rare phenomenon is the southern hemisphere equivalent to the famed northern lights, or aurora borealis.

Those looking to catch a glimpse of the spectacle are reminded it’s best to be in a dark area with no light pollution and be facing the South Pole.