Northern lights in Germany tonight
Hamburg at ~56°N needs Kp 5-6; Berlin at ~54°N needs Kp 6-7. Aurora from Germany requires moderate to strong storms. The G5 event of May 2024 produced sightings across the country. The north German coast, Lüneburger Heide, and Mecklenburg lake district give the best dark-sky positions.
How the sky looks right now
Live Kp index from NASA & NOAA, mapped to what it means across Germany.
Low activity expected. Solar conditions are currently quiet. Chances of aurora visibility are low tonight.
How far south the glow reaches
At Kp 1, the auroral oval pushes down to ~76°N - covering every Germany town below.
7-day outlook for Germany
Predicted peak Kp each night, from NOAA's 3-day forecast and the 27-day solar-recurrence model.
Forecasts beyond 3 days are lower confidence - check back nightly as the outlook firms up.
Aurora visibility by town
Each spot lights up at a different Kp threshold thanks to its latitude. It comes down to the clouds.
Flensburg
56°NGermany's northernmost city – Flensburg Fjord and Holnis peninsula.
Hamburg
56°NNorth Sea and Baltic coast access – Lüneburger Heide dark sky.
Rügen
55°NKap Arkona and Königsstuhl chalk cliffs over the Baltic.
Berlin
54°NMüritz and Schorfheide dark sky areas, Kp 6-7.
Three ways to do it
Flensburg
Germany's northernmost city, on the Danish border at Flensburg Fjord. At roughly 56°N magnetic latitude, the Holnis peninsula gives an open northern horizon over the fjord – the best starting position for a G2-level event anywhere in Germany.
Threshold · Kp 5Hamburg
Germany's largest northern city, within reach of both the Lüneburger Heide heathland to the south and the Schleswig-Holstein Baltic coast to the north – two of the country's most practical dark sky positions for a storm night.
Threshold · Kp 5Rügen
Germany's largest island, with the chalk cliffs of Königsstuhl and the lighthouse at Kap Arkona giving an open Baltic horizon and a foreground found nowhere else in Germany. A strong storm here produces a striking backdrop.
Threshold · Kp 5Why Germany is a storm-chaser's destination
Germany's aurora threshold runs from roughly 56°N magnetic latitude in the north to 54°N around Berlin. Hamburg and Flensburg need Kp 5-6 – activity reachable during the G2 storms that occur a handful of times a year during solar maximum – while Berlin needs Kp 6-7, requiring stronger G3 conditions. This makes Germany fundamentally a storm-chasing destination rather than a place to count on aurora most clear nights.
The north German plain gives the country its best dark sky positions: the Lüneburger Heide heathland south of Hamburg, the Mecklenburg lake district and Müritz National Park north of Berlin, and the open Baltic horizons of Rügen and the Schleswig-Holstein coast. All face open water and plain to the north – the direction any German aurora display will appear.
The G5 storm of May 2024 – the strongest geomagnetic event in over twenty years – produced aurora photographed from Hamburg's Elbstrand, the Berlin suburbs, and as far south as Bavaria. That was exceptional. The realistic expectation for G2-G3 storms is aurora visible from north German dark sites on clear nights: faint to moderate displays, strongest at the northern horizon between 22:00 and 02:00 local time.
Compare Germany locations tonight
Pre-filled with Germany's top spots - search 400+ locations worldwide to compare any of them side by side.
How often does the aurora appear in Germany?
Average nights per month the Kp reached Hamburg's threshold, from 15 years of geomagnetic data (2010–2024).
Counts the Kp threshold only – cloud cover is not included. North Germany's weather is influenced by Atlantic systems and can be unsettled; checking the cloud forecast alongside the Kp alert is essential for any storm night.
Plan your trip to Germany
Storm-chase mentality
Germany is not a place to plan an aurora holiday around – it's a place to react when a G2+ event aligns with a clear night. Sign up for NOAA space weather alerts, have a dark-sky location in mind, and be ready to drive when conditions align.
How long to stay
A flexible approach works best. If you are already in the region, a single clear night during a G2+ storm is all you need. Dedicated aurora travel to Scandinavia or Iceland gives a more reliable experience for those planning ahead.
Related pages
Aurora Locations Worldwide
Global hub for all aurora forecast regions.
Read →Northern Lights Hamburg Tonight
Hamburg – Lüneburger Heide and Baltic coast, Kp 5-6.
Read →Northern Lights Berlin Tonight
Berlin – Müritz and Schorfheide, Kp 6-7.
Read →Northern Lights Denmark
Denmark aurora forecast – Copenhagen, Kp 5-6.
Read →Northern Lights Netherlands
Netherlands aurora forecast – Amsterdam and Rotterdam, Kp 6-7.
Read →Aurora photographs from Germany
Real photos sourced from Wikimedia Commons.
Aurora borealis in Pleinfeld, Germany, 2024 May 11 
Aurora and perseids 
Aurora borealis near Salzdahlum 2024-10-10 
Aurora borealis near Salzdahlum 2024-10-12 timelapse 1 
Aurora borealis near Salzdahlum 2024-10-11 
British Foreign Secretary Johnson and German Foreign Minister Steinmeier Disembark From the "Northern Lights" (298572034 Guides for visiting Germany
In-depth planning resources for your northern lights trip.
Science Aurora science Geomagnetic Storm Scale – G1 to G5 Explained
What G1 through G5 mean, and why a G2-G3 storm is the threshold to watch from Germany.
Planning All destinations Northern Lights Alerts – How They Work
Set up storm alerts so you can move quickly when a G2+ event lines up with clear skies over Germany.
Science Aurora science What Is the Kp Index?
How the planetary index is measured, what the numbers mean, and when to act.
Planning All destinations How to Plan a Northern Lights Trip
Destination, timing, packing, expectations, and how to read a forecast.
Science Aurora science How Far South Can You See the Northern Lights?
The latitude limits and what storm strength is needed for aurora sightings in Germany.
Location Hamburg Northern Lights Hamburg Tonight
Live forecast for Hamburg – Lüneburger Heide dark sky and Baltic coast, Kp 5-6.
