Aurora Watch (UK)

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is a mesmerizing natural spectacle that occasionally graces the night skies over the United Kingdom. Once witnessed, it leaves an indelible impression. Aurora Watch UK provides a crucial service by monitoring geomagnetic activity, alerting you when there is a potential for viewing the aurora from the UK.

Stay informed with timely alerts about increases in geomagnetic activity. These alerts are triggered when the AuroraWatch status level changes, indicating the relative likelihood of witnessing an aurora in the UK.

Check the current alert status for up-to-the-minute information. For a detailed view, you can access the recent history of alerts from the past 24 hours.

Benefit from the 30-minute forecast model provided by the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), which helps you plan your aurora-watching activities.

Should you encounter any issues, please feel free to email [email protected] for assistance.

Please note that Aurora Watch is not a forecasting app. It's important to be aware that certain phone settings, such as Battery Saver, can limit the ability to receive push notifications, potentially narrowing or even closing the window for aurora alerts. 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 send alerts retroactively. If your phone is off or unable to connect to the internet when the status increases, and the level drops before the next data update, you will not receive an alert. There is also a necessary delay before alerts are sent, as the data needs to 'settle down', as recommended by Lancaster University.

Lancaster University, which provides the alert data, primarily uses their Lancaster magnetometer for alerting, though they have other magnetometers, including one in Shetland. While the chances of seeing an aurora are higher in Shetland, the data from there is not usually used for alerts, making them somewhat more 'pessimistic'. This is suitable for those in England but 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 are based on 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 the About section.
• Included Bristol and Portsmouth as new locations.
• Introduced a new optional Alert Notification "Triggered by value" feature, allowing you to receive another notification if the status value (nT) increases even further after a red alert.