Aurora tonight?

How do the chances of aurora look at your location? SkyGrade shows the current Kp index (GFZ Potsdam) plus – in near real time from NOAA SWPC – the Bz magnetic field (southward = trigger) and the solar-wind speed.

GPS coordinates as latitude, longitude (decimal degrees) – e.g. 47.07, 15.44

Solar activity

calm
Derived from solar flares, solar wind and the Kp index. · as of 2026-09-15 00:20:00 UTC
Solar flare B9.9 past 9 h
CME arrival ~31 h observed
Geomagnetic storm none Kp < 5

Aurora chance

Kp-Index
2.7
tonight up to Kp 2
Magnetfeld Bz
+12 nT
northward – unfavourable
Solar wind
388 km/s
> 500 km/s = elevated · falling

Enter a location above to rank the chance for your site.
Source: GFZ Potsdam · NOAA SWPC · as of 2026-09-15 00:20:00 UTC

Aurora chance for Germany

Northern Germany very low
Central Germany very low
Southern Germany very low

Forecast for tonight (up to Kp 2). Not enough for Germany – Northern Germany would need at least Kp 5.

Current Sun (SDO)

Current image of the Sun (SDO, 193 Ångström)
193 Å · as of 15.09.2026 00:00 UTC · Source NASA/SDO

Current events

B9.9 Solar flare
past 9 hours
CME
arrival ~31 hours
Geomagnetic storm
No storm currently · Kp < 5

Why does Bz matter?

If the Sun's magnetic field points south (negative Bz), the solar wind can couple especially well into Earth's magnetic field and trigger auroras.

Bz southward (negative)↑ higher chance
Solar wind
Solar wind enters Earth's magnetic field → more aurora
Bz northward (positive)↓ lower chance
Solar wind
Field lines stay closed → less aurora

The longer Bz stays negative, the higher the aurora chance – provided the Kp index is high enough.

Terms explained
Solar flare
A sudden burst of radiation on the Sun. Strong flares can disrupt radio traffic and – often together with a coronal mass ejection – favour auroras.
Flare class (e.g. C1.5)
The strength of a solar flare. The letters A, B, C, M, X each stand for a tenfold stronger level (X is the strongest); the number refines within the level. So "C1.5" is a weak flare, "M5" medium, "X2" very strong.
CME (coronal mass ejection)
A huge cloud of solar plasma and magnetic field hurled into space. If it hits Earth (usually 1–3 days later), it can trigger a geomagnetic storm and auroras.
Geomagnetic storm
A disturbance of Earth's magnetic field caused by the solar wind or a CME. Scale G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme), derived from the Kp index (from Kp 5 = G1).
Kp index
A measure of global geomagnetic activity, from 0 (calm) to 9 (severe storm), as a 3-hour value. The higher it is, the further south aurora is visible.
Magnetic field Bz
The north–south component of the magnetic field in the solar wind. Negative (southward) is the trigger: then the solar wind couples well into Earth's magnetic field. Positive (northward) = calm.
Solar wind
A constant stream of charged particles from the Sun. Higher speed (above ~500 km/s) and density increase the aurora chance.

All times in German time (currently CEST).