Aurora watch for March 17-18

The last aurora watch was accompanied by faint aurora visible after midnight, this alert may be associated with better auroral conditions

A geomagnetic alert and an aurora watch has been issued  by the Australian IPS, the activity is due to a potential impact of a Coronal Mass Ejection from recent solar flares. The activity is likely to start on the 17th, peaking late in the evening of the 18th to the early morning of the 19 March, possibly lasting to the night of the March 19. If aurora occur, this may be visible in Tasmania, New Zealand, and possibly Southern Vic, WA and Southern South Australia. However, like geomagnetic storms CME’s are fickle, and the storm may arrive in daylight or may miss earth entirely entirely .. or might just be spectacular.

Fortunately the thin waning Moon will produce little interference.

Dark sky sites have the best chance of seeing anything, and always allow  around 5 minutes for your eyes to become dark adapted.
As always look to the south for shifting red/green glows, beams have been reported too.

The all sky aurora camera in Southern Tasmania at Cressy may be of help in monitoring for aurora,
http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical/4/2>http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical/4/2
GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY FORECAST
16 Mar:  Unsettled
17 Mar:  Active
18 Mar:  Active to Minor Storm

SUBJ: IPS AURORA WATCH
ISSUED AT 2347 UT ON 15 Mar 2015 BY IPS RADIO AND SPACE SERVICES
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE FORECAST CENTRE

A Coronal Mass Ejection is expected to impact the Earth within the
next 24 – 48 hours, possibly resulting in significant space weather
activity and visible auroras during local nighttime hours. Aurora
alerts will follow should favourable space weather activity
eventuate.

Further monitoring at
http://www.ips.gov.au