Hobart: Australia’s southern capital, facing climate and maritime heritage challenges as El Niño strains regions and Antarctic expeditions highlight resilience.
Climate models have shown an unusually strong El Niño forming in the tropical Pacific that has a realistic chance of peaking this year or into 2027 and of becoming the strongest on record; scientists warn it will drive global temperature extremes and raise the risk of hotter, drier conditions in parts of Australia while reducing Atlantic hurricane activity.
Airbus A319 Long Range flew from Hobart to McMurdo on July 31 to evacuate an American patient; landing occurred in darkness at -43 C, with a transfer to Christchurch for treatment. The operation highlights civilian capability and international cooperation in Antarctic medicine.
A total solar eclipse on 12 August 2026 has passed across Greenland, Iceland and parts of northern Spain while the UK and Ireland have seen a deep partial eclipse — the most extensive visible from Britain since 1999. Scientists have collected coronagraph and in‑flight data to study the Sun’s corona and short‑term atmospheric effects; safety warnings about direct viewing were widely issued.
A deep partial lunar eclipse has occurred, with about 96% of the Moon in Earth's shadow for observers across much of the Americas. The event followed a recent total solar eclipse and is part of a pair of celestial events that are visible under clear skies. The maximum viewing is around midnight EDT, with visibility shifting by location. NASA notes the Artemis II mission remains a backdrop to ongoing space activity.