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Aurora tonight inBerlin

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Northern lights guide

Seeing the northern lights from Berlin

Berlin sits at 52.2° magnetic latitude, well away from the auroral oval. Aurora reaches it during geomagnetic storms: about Kp 4.8 for a glow on the northern horizon, and Kp 7.0 or more for a display overhead.

Kp needed
4.8
On the northern horizon. Overhead from about Kp 7.0.
Look toward
NNW 345°
Facing north-northwest, toward the magnetic pole.
Best hours
9:40 PM–1:40 AM
Centered on magnetic midnight, 11:40 PM local time in December.
How often
A handful of nights a year
You need a geomagnetic storm. Those cluster in the years around solar maximum. A rough guide.

Dark hours by month

Hours each night with the sun at least 12° below the horizon, on the 15th of each month.

January: 13.2 hours13JanFebruary: 11.5 hours12FebMarch: 9.7 hours10MarApril: 7.2 hours7AprMay: 4.7 hours5MayJune: 2.8 hours3JunJuly: 3.8 hours4JulAugust: 6.3 hours6AugSeptember: 8.7 hours9SepOctober: 11.0 hours11OctNovember: 12.7 hours13NovDecember: 13.3 hours13Dec

The dark-sky season runs from August to May. Geomagnetic activity also tends to run higher around the March and September equinoxes.

What each storm level means here

The higher the Kp index, the farther the oval spreads toward the equator.

  • Kp 9G5 extreme storm: aurora overhead from Berlin
  • Kp 7G3 strong storm: aurora on the horizon from Berlin
  • Kp 5G1 minor storm: aurora on the horizon from Berlin
  • Kp 3Unsettled: aurora not in view from Berlin
  • Kp 1Quiet: aurora not in view from Berlin

Questions about the aurora in Berlin

Can you see the northern lights in Berlin?

Sometimes, during geomagnetic storms. It takes about Kp 4.8 to see aurora low on the northern horizon from Berlin, and cameras often pick it up before your eyes do.

What Kp index do you need to see the aurora in Berlin?

About Kp 4.8 for aurora on the northern horizon and about Kp 7.0 for aurora overhead. These come from Berlin's magnetic latitude of 52.2°.

Which direction should I look for the aurora in Berlin?

Face north-northwest (345°), toward the magnetic pole. That is where the aurora rises first. In a strong storm it can spread across the whole sky.

What time of night is best for the aurora in Berlin?

Activity often peaks around magnetic midnight, which falls near 11:40 PM local time in Berlin in December. The two hours either side are the best window.

When is aurora season in Berlin?

The dark-sky season runs from August to May. Geomagnetic activity also tends to run higher around the March and September equinoxes.