Northern Lights over the UK
Aurora forecast based on the Kp index — a measure of geomagnetic activity (scale 0–9). The higher the Kp, the further south the aurora can be seen. Best chance with a dark, clear sky and an open view to the north.
🧭 Kp index right now
2.7
Calm
Scale 0–9 · updated 08:06
🌙 Peak in the coming day
3
Calm
Expected peak Thu 30/7 01:00
☀️ Light season. From May to July the nights are short — even in Scotland the sky barely darkens, so the aurora is hard to spot at any Kp. The season runs September–March.
Goda chanserMöjligtLåg chansOsannoliktNorrskenzon (Kp 3)
Where can the aurora be seen tonight?
At Kp 3 and clear skies
Abisko
68,4°N
Good chances
Kiruna
67,9°N
Good chances
Lerwick, Shetland
60,2°N
Possible
Kirkwall, Orkney
59,0°N
Small chance
Inverness
57,5°N
Small chance
Aberdeen
57,2°N
Small chance
Edinburgh
56,0°N
Unlikely
Belfast
54,6°N
Unlikely
Newcastle
55,0°N
Unlikely
Manchester
53,5°N
Unlikely
Birmingham
52,5°N
Unlikely
London
51,5°N
Unlikely
The assessment is based on latitude and forecast Kp. Local visibility, cloud and light pollution decide in the end — check
cloud cover on the radar.
Kp forecast — 3 days
3-hour values · NOAA SWPC
Tips for seeing the aurora
- Seek darkness — get away from town lights.
- A clear view to the north.
- Clear skies: check the cloud forecast first.
- The best time is usually 21:00–02:00.
- Let your eyes adjust to the dark for 15–20 min.
- A camera often sees faint aurora before the eye does.
What is the Kp index?
The Kp index measures disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field on a scale of 0–9. At
Kp 4–5 the aurora can be visible in northern Scotland; at
Kp 6 it can reach Northern Ireland and northern England, and during big storms (
Kp 7+) even the south coast. Values update every three hours.