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Live aurora australis forecast

Aurora australis Argentina tonight

Ushuaia at 55°S magnetic latitude is the best aurora australis location in South America. Kp 3-4 is enough from the Beagle Channel waterfront. Face south across the channel. Peak season is June to August - the austral winter.

Aurora forecast - Argentina

Unlikely tonight

Kp 1 is well below the Kp 3–4 from Ushuaia threshold. No significant aurora activity is expected at this time.

Current Kp

of 9

Best threshold in Argentina: Kp 3–4 from Ushuaia Ref. latitude: ~55°S mag.

↓ Bz — nT Solar wind — km/s Density — p/cm³ ☁ —% at ref. site

Conditions right now: — Kp + Bz + solar wind + cloud + moon

7-day outlook for Argentina

Today

19 May

Quiet

Tomorrow

20 May

Quiet

Thu

21 May

Quiet

Fri

22 May

Quiet

Sat

23 May

Quiet

Sun

24 May

Quiet

Mon

25 May

Quiet

Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours. Badges show the best-case location in Argentina.

Aurora australis visibility by Argentine location

Ushuaia

Unlikely

World's southernmost city, Beagle Channel

~55°S mag. lat. Needs Kp 3+

El Calafate

Unlikely

Perito Moreno Glacier, Lake Argentino

~50°S mag. lat. Needs Kp 5+

Best time to see the aurora australis in Argentina

Argentina's aurora australis season runs from April through August, centred on the southern winter. The equinox months (March and September) are the most active.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Argentine aurora at a glance

Ushuaia at 55°S magnetic latitude is the best aurora australis location in South America outside Antarctica. The Kp threshold of Kp 3-4 is comparable to Queenstown in New Zealand or the Orkney Islands in Scotland - reached several times per month during solar maximum. The Beagle Channel provides a south-facing dark water horizon with the Chilean mountains beyond. Aurora australis has been photographed from Ushuaia regularly during the current solar cycle. Peak season is June to August, when the austral winter delivers up to 17 hours of darkness per night.

El Calafate at 50°S needs stronger activity (Kp 5-6) but the Perito Moreno Glacier and Lake Argentino provide extraordinary foregrounds during active events. The Patagonian steppe surrounding both towns gives dark, flat horizons in all directions once away from settlement lights.

Aurora Australis

Southern lights hub with live Kp forecast.

Aurora Australis New Zealand

New Zealand - comparable southern hemisphere aurora destinations.

Aurora Australis Ushuaia Tonight

Ushuaia - best aurora australis in South America.

What Is the Kp Index?

How Kp 3-4 determines aurora australis visibility at 55°S.

Aurora Locations Worldwide

Global aurora forecast hub.

Common questions

Aurora australis in Argentina - Ushuaia, El Calafate, and when to go.

Can you see aurora australis in Argentina?

Yes. Ushuaia is the best aurora australis location in South America outside Antarctica. At 55°S magnetic latitude, it needs only Kp 3-4 - a threshold reached several times per month during solar maximum. El Calafate at 50°S needs Kp 5-6, reached during moderate geomagnetic storms. Aurora australis has been photographed from both towns during the current solar cycle.

Where in Argentina is the best place for aurora australis?

Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina's southernmost city. At 55°S magnetic latitude, it sits within range of the auroral oval during even minor geomagnetic activity. The Beagle Channel waterfront east of town, Tierra del Fuego National Park, and the Martial Glacier road above the city all give south-facing dark sky positions. El Calafate is a strong second option during stronger activity, with the Perito Moreno Glacier as a foreground.

When is aurora australis season in Argentina?

June to August - the austral winter. This is when nights are longest in the Southern Hemisphere. At Ushuaia's latitude of 55°S, mid-winter nights run to 17 hours. The September equinox is statistically the most geomagnetically active period of the year, and May also sees strong activity. Avoid December to February when nights are too short at this latitude.

What Kp is needed in Argentina?

Kp 3-4 from Ushuaia (55°S magnetic latitude). Kp 5-6 from El Calafate (50°S magnetic latitude). The Kp index - a global measure of geomagnetic activity on a scale from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme storm) - determines aurora visibility at a given latitude. Kp 3 events occur frequently during solar maximum, making Ushuaia one of the most reliably active aurora sites in South America.

How does Argentina compare to New Zealand for aurora australis?

Ushuaia at 55°S magnetic latitude is broadly comparable to Queenstown (46°S geographic, around 56°S magnetic) or Stewart Island in New Zealand. The Kp 3-4 threshold is similar. What Ushuaia has in its favour is latitude - it is further south geographically than any New Zealand aurora site. The Beagle Channel gives a south-facing dark water horizon that is particularly photogenic. El Calafate compares to Dunedin or Invercargill in New Zealand - accessible during moderate storms.

Aurora australis Argentina tonight

7-day outlook for Argentina

Aurora australis visibility by Argentine location

Best time to see the aurora australis in Argentina

Argentine aurora at a glance

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Common questions

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