Aurora Watch Tonight (Sunday 16 August 2015)

The Australian IPS has just issued an aurora alert for high latitudes BUT despite a good southward magnetic field -8 nT the Launceston  Kindex is 5 and the NOAA site a G2 storm current (and a G1 storm predicted later). I leave it up to you folks to decide if it is worthwhile.
Currently, the Kindex is 5. Velocity: 534 km/sec Bz: -5.0 nT Density = 4.0 p/cc

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 consistently over the last few aurora and a large green “blob” has been seen.

The storm is unlikely to produce aurora as good as seen last night, which was visible from Southern South Australia and Northern Victoria, with beams “fenceposts” and proton arcs even! Still, Tasmanian and Southern Victoria should be on alert!

The all sky aurora camera in Northern Tasmania at Cressy may be helpful.
http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical/4/2>

SUBJ: IPS AURORA ALERT HIGH LATITUDES
ISSUED AT 0720 UT ON 16 Aug 2015 BY IPS RADIO AND SPACE SERVICES
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE FORECAST CENTRE
     

GEOMAGNETIC STORM IN PROGRESS. AURORA MAY BE OBSERVED
DURING LOCAL NIGHT TIME HOURS IN GOOD OBSERVING CONDITIONS
AT HIGH LATITUDES.

IPS would appreciate any feedback from people observing an
aurora giving details of location and time. Please provide
details at: http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical/2/5
Previous reports of observed aurora are archived under
http://www.ips.gov.au/mailman/listinfo/ips-aurora-sightings
Follow the progress of this event on the IPS web site
by following the links to the Space Weather Status Panel,
Home > Space Weather

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