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Northern lights ¡ Estonia

Northern lights in Tartu tonight, 19 October

An inland city: it needs a stronger storm than the coast. It is darker in the fields north of town. This place needs Kp 5.1: the aurora reaches it only during a G2 geomagnetic storm or stronger. Season: August to April.

Will I see it tonightAll places in Estonia
Kp today
up to 4.7
Kp needed
5.1
the aurora reaches it only during a G2 geomagnetic storm or stronger
Tonight
Won't reach
peak Kp 4.7, 5.1 needed
Dark hours
19:26–06:31
Sun below −12°
Right now

Will I see it tonight in Tartu

Aurora probability, hourly cloud cover, the Moon and where to drive away from the lights — for this spot.

Place: 58.378, 26.729

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About the place

Northern lights in Tartu: what to know

Kp 5.1
needed for this place
August to April
season — when nights are dark
14 h
dark hours in mid-December
How to shoot

How to photograph the northern lights with a phone

A recent phone is enough: what matters is keeping it still and a long exposure.

Night mode

Turn on the camera's night mode. An iPhone held perfectly still offers exposures up to 30 seconds by itself; on Android use "Night" or "Night Sight".

Tripod or support

The phone must stay still: a tripod, a backpack, the car roof. Use a 3-second timer so tapping the shutter doesn't blur the shot.

Manual mode

If you have "Pro": a 5–15 second exposure (shorter for fast-moving aurora), ISO 800–3200, focus at infinity, white balance around 3500–4000 K.

No flash, no lights

Switch off the flash and dim the screen. Step away from streetlights — eyes and camera adapt to the dark in 15–20 minutes.

FAQ

Northern lights in Tartu: FAQ

Will there be northern lights in Tartu tonight?
Today's forecast peak is Kp 4.7, and this place needs Kp 5.1 — the aurora probably won't reach it. Besides Kp, clouds and darkness decide: the hourly answer with cloud cover is in the "Will I see it tonight" block.
What Kp do you need for the northern lights in Tartu?
About Kp 5.1: the aurora reaches it only during a G2 geomagnetic storm or stronger. The higher the Kp, the further south the auroral oval spreads; at one Kp above the need the aurora climbs higher above the horizon.
When is the northern lights season in Tartu?
The season is August to April: nights are dark enough in these months. Geomagnetic activity is on average higher around the equinoxes — in March and in September–October. The best time of night is around local midnight.
How do you photograph the northern lights with a phone?
Turn on night mode (an iPhone on a tripod offers exposures up to 30 seconds by itself) or use manual mode with a 5–15 second exposure and ISO 800–3200. Put the phone on a tripod or a steady surface, focus at infinity and switch the flash off.

Other places in Estonia

TallinnLahemaa National ParkHiiumaaSaaremaaAll places in EstoniaWhere to see the aurora — all countries
Related
Aurora forecastKp, solar wind and a 27-day outlookGeomagnetic storms in TartuKp today and for three daysDark skyWhere to drive away from light pollution
Northern lights in Tartu tonight, 19 October: forecast, Kp 5.1 needed — CAMPLY