Aurora australis Ushuaia tonight
Ushuaia sits at 55°S magnetic latitude - the lowest aurora threshold in South America. Kp 3-4 is enough from the Beagle Channel waterfront or Tierra del Fuego National Park. Face south across the channel. The Martial Glacier road above the city gives a wide southern panorama from 400 m elevation. Peak season: June to August.
Aurora visibility - Ushuaia
Unlikely tonight
Kp 1 is well below the Kp 3–4 threshold needed for aurora to be visible from Ushuaia.
Current Kp
1
of 9
7-day outlook for Ushuaia
Today
19 May
Tomorrow
20 May
Thu
21 May
Fri
22 May
Sat
23 May
Sun
24 May
Mon
25 May
Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.
What Kp is needed here?
Ushuaia sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 55°S. The Kp index - a global measure of geomagnetic activity on a scale from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme storm), updated every 3 hours - needs to reach Kp 3–4 before the auroral oval expands far enough north to be visible from here.
At Kp 3–4, visibility is possible from Ushuaia but skies need to be clear and dark. Cloud cover and light pollution remain the main obstacles even when Kp is high enough.
Best dark sky sites near Ushuaia
Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark southern horizon within reach.
Beagle Channel waterfront east of town
Get directions ↗The road east of Ushuaia along the Beagle Channel shore faces south across the channel toward Chilean islands and the open Drake Passage beyond. Moving 3 km east of the city removes most of the town's light dome. The channel gives a flat south-facing dark water horizon - the key orientation for aurora australis. During Kp 3-4 events, a green arc appears low on the southern horizon and rises as activity increases. The calm channel water reflects aurora on still nights.
Tierra del Fuego National Park
Get directions ↗The national park west of the city is Argentina's most southerly protected wilderness and dark sky position. Lapataia Bay at the park's western end faces south across a sheltered inlet. The forest backdrop creates a distinctive aurora foreground. The park entrance is 12 km from Ushuaia and open 24 hours. Moving to Lapataia, at the end of the national road (Route 3's southern terminus), gives south-facing views from a position surrounded by sub-Antarctic forest. No settlements are visible from inside the park.
Martial Glacier road
Get directions ↗The road to the Martial Glacier ski centre climbs 400 m above Ushuaia and gives a south-facing panorama over the entire Beagle Channel. The city lights are behind you; the channel, Chilean mountains, and southern sky open ahead. The elevation clears ground haze and gives a wider horizon than the channel shore. Accessible by private vehicle; the road is maintained and ploughed in winter.
Best time to see the aurora australis in Ushuaia
Ushuaia's aurora australis season runs from April through August, centred on the southern winter when nights are longest and darkest. The equinox months of March and September bring a boost in geomagnetic activity. Summer months bring too much twilight for aurora to show at this latitude.
Activity peaks around the March and September equinoxes, when Earth's magnetic field geometry is most favourable for coupling with the solar wind. These windows produce the strongest aurora australis events of the year for observers at this latitude.
October through February brings persistent twilight that washes out the aurora australis. Strong events during these months remain invisible because the sky never gets dark enough.
Other Argentina aurora forecasts
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Aurora Australis Queenstown Tonight
Queenstown - comparable southern hemisphere aurora destination.
What Is the Kp Index?
How Kp 3-4 determines aurora australis visibility at 55°S.
Northern Lights Bucket List
Ushuaia aurora australis is one of the world's top 12 bucket-list aurora experiences.
Common questions
Aurora australis in Ushuaia - Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego National Park, and when to go.
