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Northern lights ¡ United Kingdom

Northern lights in London tonight, 19 October

Aurora over London is a strong-storm event; with heavy light pollution it often shows up better on camera than to the eye. It is darker north of the city, in the Chiltern Hills. This place needs Kp 6.3: the aurora reaches it only during a G3 geomagnetic storm or stronger. Season: all year round.

Will I see it tonightAll places in the UK
Kp today
up to 4.7
Kp needed
6.3
the aurora reaches it only during a G3 geomagnetic storm or stronger
Tonight
Won't reach
peak Kp 4.7, 6.3 needed
Dark hours
19:13–06:18
Sun below −12°
Right now

Will I see it tonight in London

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

Place: 51.507, -0.128

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About the place

Northern lights in London: what to know

Kp 6.3
needed for this place
all year round
season — when nights are dark
13 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 London: FAQ

Will there be northern lights in London tonight?
Today's forecast peak is Kp 4.7, and this place needs Kp 6.3 — 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 London?
About Kp 6.3: the aurora reaches it only during a G3 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 London?
The season is all year round: 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 the UK

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Northern lights in London tonight, 19 October: forecast, Kp 6.3 needed — CAMPLY