The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is a breathtaking natural spectacle that can occasionally grace the night skies over Britain. Witnessing this phenomenon is a memorable experience that captivates all who see it. Aurora Watch UK offers a valuable service by monitoring geomagnetic activity, providing alerts when there is a potential for the aurora to be visible from the UK.
Stay informed with real-time alerts about increases in geomagnetic activity, which are triggered when the AuroraWatch status level changes. These changes indicate the likelihood of witnessing an aurora in the UK. You can also check the current alert status and review the recent history of the last 24 hours. Additionally, a 30-minute forecast model from the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) is available to help you plan your viewing.
For any issues or queries, please email [email protected].
Please note that Aurora Watch is not a forecasting app. Certain phone settings, such as Battery Saver, may restrict push notifications, potentially reducing or eliminating the aurora alert window. If you're not receiving alerts, check your phone's Settings/Notifications/App settings to ensure that notifications for Aurora Watch UK are enabled.
The app does not provide historical alerts. If your phone is off or unable to connect to the internet during a status increase that later decreases before the next data update, you will not receive an alert. There is also a necessary delay before alerts are sent, as recommended by Lancaster University, to allow the data to 'settle down'.
Lancaster University provides the alerts using data primarily from their Lancaster magnetometer, although they also use others, including one in Shetland. The alerts tend to be more 'pessimistic' since they are not usually based on the Shetland data, which is more favorable for aurora sightings. This approach is more suitable for viewers in England, though less so for those further north.
The Aurora Watch UK (Android) app is developed and maintained by Smallbouldering Projects and is not an 'official' app. The alerts data is provided by Lancaster University, UK, using data from the SAMNET and/or AuroraWatchNet magnetometer networks. For more information, visit http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/introduction.
What's New in the Latest Version 1.97
Last updated on Oct 20, 2024
- Added some abbreviations to About.
- Added Bristol and Portsmouth to locations.
- Added new optional Alert Notification "Triggered by value" so that e.g., when there has been a red alert and the status value (nT) goes even higher, you can receive another notification.
