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Aurora tonight inUshuaia

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Southern lights guide

Seeing the southern lights from Ushuaia

Ushuaia sits at 45.7° magnetic latitude, well away from the auroral oval. Aurora reaches it during geomagnetic storms: about Kp 8.0 for a glow on the southern horizon, and Kp 9+ or more for a display overhead.

Kp needed
8.0
On the southern horizon. Overhead from about Kp 9+.
Look toward
S 179°
Facing south, toward the magnetic pole.
Best hours
11:40 PM–3:40 AM
Centered on magnetic midnight, 1:40 AM local time in June.
How often
Rarely, in severe storms
This takes a severe storm, the kind that comes a few times per solar cycle. 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: 2.8 hours3JanFebruary: 6.3 hours6FebMarch: 8.8 hours9MarApril: 11.2 hours11AprMay: 12.8 hours13MayJune: 13.7 hours14JunJuly: 13.3 hours13JulAugust: 11.8 hours12AugSeptember: 9.7 hours10SepOctober: 7.3 hours7OctNovember: 4.0 hours4NovDecember: 0.0 hours0Dec

The dark-sky season runs from February to November. From December the sky never gets fully dark, so aurora is effectively out of sight. 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 on the horizon from Ushuaia
  • Kp 7G3 strong storm: aurora not in view from Ushuaia
  • Kp 5G1 minor storm: aurora not in view from Ushuaia
  • Kp 3Unsettled: aurora not in view from Ushuaia
  • Kp 1Quiet: aurora not in view from Ushuaia

Questions about the aurora in Ushuaia

Can you see the southern lights in Ushuaia?

Sometimes, during geomagnetic storms. It takes about Kp 8.0 to see aurora low on the southern horizon from Ushuaia, and cameras often pick it up before your eyes do.

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

About Kp 8.0 for aurora on the southern horizon and about Kp 9+ for aurora overhead. These come from Ushuaia's magnetic latitude of 45.7°.

Which direction should I look for the aurora in Ushuaia?

Face south (179°), 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 Ushuaia?

Activity often peaks around magnetic midnight, which falls near 1:40 AM local time in Ushuaia in June. The two hours either side are the best window.

When is aurora season in Ushuaia?

The dark-sky season runs from February to November. From December the sky never gets fully dark, so aurora is effectively out of sight. Geomagnetic activity also tends to run higher around the March and September equinoxes.