Hobart, on Tasmania at 42.9°S, is one of the best-placed cities in the world for the aurora australis — the southern lights — thanks to its high southern latitude. Displays appear over the dark southern horizon during active geomagnetic periods, and Tasmania's dark, sparsely populated landscape means Bortle 2–3 skies are reachable within an hour of the Bortle 6 city. The cool maritime climate brings changeable weather, but clear nights reveal a spectacular southern sky: the Magellanic Clouds, the galactic core, and the aurora all from one location.