Aurora Australis could be visible tonight as far north as Auckland.

The Te Whatu Stardome, New Zealand’s largest planetarium and observatory, said a strong coronal mass ejection from the sun is expected to reach Earth’s magnetic field this afternoon.

The observatory suggested this could cause a moderate to strong geomagnetic storm.

Professor Craig Rodger, from the University of Otago physics department, was optimistic about the aurora being seen.

“The UK Met Office Space Weather forecasters are suggesting this even could last a couple of days, with a 50% chance the aurora could be strong enough to get the lower North Island, and a 5% chance it could be as big as May 2024.″

At the time, strong geomagnetic activity and cloudless skies gave people across the country the opportunity to have the perfect view of the event.

It’s difficult to tell when and where Aurora Australis may be visible, but cloud cover would make it very hard to see.

The weather forecast isn’t too favourable for aurora chasers in the North Island this evening with a chance of rain.

However, the Met Service said rain should clear overnight and skies turn clearer, especially in the eastern parts of the island.

The South Island is mostly clear throughout the evening and overnight as well.

What is the Aurora Australis?

Auroras usually happen when the magnetosphere is disrupted by solar wind that alters charged particle trajectories.

The particles rise into the upper atmosphere and create vibrant colours in the sky such as green, pink, purple and red.

The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, is the most famous aurora and can occur anywhere within a 2500km radius of the North Pole, making Norway and Iceland some of the best places to see it.

Aurora Australis sightings can happen year-round but are most common during the equinoxes in March and September as long, dark nights increase the odds of seeing the light.

Some of the best locations to see the Aurora Australis include Great Barrier Island, Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve, Wai-iti International Dark Sky Park or on a flight across the South Island.