One of nature's most magnificent shows, the southern lights, could be on display for large parts of southern Australia tonight as high as Perth and Sydney with a severe solar storm event impacting on Earth.

It comes as the Sun's magnetic cycle nears the end of its most active phase — a period which has been helping trigger a boom of aurora activity of the past two years.

Known as the aurora australis, the colourful curtains of light are the result of geomagnetic storms, which disrupt Earth's magnetic field.

Aurora photographers 'take the day off' as large storm looms

The Bureau of Meteorology's space weather forecasting centre has issued an "aurora watch" , with severe geomagnetic storm conditions forecast to arrive at Earth from today, peaking at severe G4 levels.

Matt Woods, from

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