Live aurora forecast

Northern lights in Flensburg tonight

Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany · 56° magnetic latitude · Kp 5 threshold

Aurora visibility · Flensburg
1/9
Unlikely tonight

Kp 1 is well below the Kp 5 threshold needed for aurora to be visible from Flensburg.

QuietStormExtreme
Threshold
Kp 5
Magnetic latitude
~56°N
Bz ↓ south
- nT
Solar wind
- km/s
Density
- p/cm³
Cloud
-
Conditions right now: - Kp + Bz + solar wind + cloud + moon

Updated: 3 Jul, 13:10 UTC

7-day outlook for Flensburg

Today
3 Jul
1
Quiet
Tomorrow
4 Jul
3
Quiet
Sun
5 Jul
3
Quiet
Mon
6 Jul
3
Quiet
Tue
7 Jul
3
Quiet
Wed
8 Jul
3
Quiet
Thu
9 Jul
3
Quiet

Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.

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What Kp is needed here?

Flensburg sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 56°N. 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 5 before the auroral oval expands far enough south to be visible from here.

At Kp 5, visibility is possible from Flensburg but skies need to be clear and dark. Cloud cover and light pollution remain the main obstacles even when Kp is high enough.

Plan your viewing

Best dark sky sites near Flensburg

Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark northern horizon within reach.

Holnis peninsula

Get directions ↗
Bortle Class 3-4 - Rural sky 20 km north of Flensburg - approximately 25 minute drive

The northernmost point of mainland Germany before the Danish border. The Holnis peninsula juts into the Flensburg Fjord with north-facing sea views and minimal light pollution. A designated nature reserve with a lighthouse. The eastern shore faces directly north over the fjord toward the Danish city of Sønderborg. From the headland tip, no town lights are visible on the horizon.

Flensburg Fjord northern shore

Get directions ↗
Bortle Class 4 - Rural/suburban transition 12 km north of Flensburg - approximately 15 minute drive

The northern shore of the fjord above the city gives north-facing sea views with the fjord as foreground. The coast here is a mix of farmland and small settlements - dark by north German urban standards. The fjord mouth opens north-northeast toward the Kattegat, giving a genuine sea horizon. Flensburg's city glow is mostly blocked by the fjord ridge to the south.

Glücksburg castle lake

Get directions ↗
Bortle Class 4 - Rural/suburban transition 12 km northeast of Flensburg - approximately 15 minute drive

Glücksburg castle, a 16th-century moated palace, sits on a lake that gives a reflective foreground for aurora photography. The lake faces north with the castle silhouette as a foreground element. The surrounding grounds are dark. A popular position for Flensburg-based aurora photographers due to the distinctive architecture and accessible parking near the castle.

When to go

Best time to see the northern lights in Flensburg

At 56°N magnetic latitude, Flensburg sits at the lower end of regular aurora territory. Only the deep mid-winter months of November through January offer nights dark enough for aurora to be visible, and only then when a significant geomagnetic storm pushes the auroral oval this far south.

Activity peaks around the September and March equinoxes, when Earth's magnetic field geometry is most favourable for coupling with the solar wind. Events during these two windows tend to produce the strongest displays of the year for observers at Flensburg's latitude.

Outside November through January, twilight is too bright for aurora viewing even during significant storms. The season is short, but the equinox months on either side of winter can extend it slightly when storm timing aligns.

Up to 8 locations

Flensburg

Germany

Unlikely
Kp 1 need Kp 5
Checking darkness…
Hamburg

Germany

Unlikely
Kp 1 need Kp 5-6
Checking darkness…
The odds

How often does the aurora appear in Flensburg?

Average nights per month the Kp reached Flensburg's threshold of 5+, from 15 years of geomagnetic data (2010–2024).

1.2Jan
1.3Feb
1.6Mar
1.4Apr
0.4May
0Jun
0Jul
1.3Aug
1.5Sep
1.5Oct
1.2Nov
1.1Dec

Counts the Kp 5+ threshold only - cloud cover and local darkness are not included.
Kp data: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, CC BY 4.0

Make it happen

Plan your trip to Flensburg

Based on 15 years of geomagnetic data (2010–2024)

1st
March
1.6
avg aurora nights
Requires an extended stay
2nd
September
1.5
avg aurora nights
Requires an extended stay
3rd
October
1.5
avg aurora nights
Requires an extended stay

Best window

The February to April window averages 4 aurora nights - the strongest consecutive stretch of the year.

How long to stay

Aurora at this latitude requires patience - allow as many nights as possible during March.

From the community

Aurora photographs from Flensburg

Real photos sourced from Wikimedia Commons.

Aurora over FlensburgAurora over Flensburg
Aurora over FlensburgAurora over Flensburg
Aurora over FlensburgAurora over Flensburg
Aurora over FlensburgAurora over Flensburg
Aurora over FlensburgAurora over Flensburg
Questions

Common questions about aurora in Flensburg

Is Flensburg Germany's best city for aurora?
Flensburg has the lowest Kp threshold of any German city. At 56°N magnetic latitude - the same band as southern Norway - it needs Kp 5 from dark positions, compared to Kp 5-6 for Hamburg and Kp 6-7 for Berlin. The Holnis peninsula, Germany's northernmost point on the mainland, gives a genuine north-facing Baltic horizon. For a German resident willing to travel to the far north, Flensburg and the Schleswig-Holstein fjord coast are the country's best aurora positions.
What Kp is needed for aurora in Flensburg?
Kp 5 from dark coastal sites north of the city. The Kp index is a global measure of geomagnetic activity on a scale from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme storm), updated every 3 hours. At Kp 5 (a G1 minor storm), aurora is typically visible as a green arc on the northern horizon from the Holnis peninsula or the fjord shore. Kp 6 produces clearly active aurora. Flensburg's advantage over Hamburg is its 1-2 degree lower threshold - meaningful for catching moderate storms.
How does Flensburg compare to Hamburg for aurora?
Flensburg at 56°N magnetic latitude needs Kp 5, Hamburg at the same latitude but 200 km south needs Kp 5-6. The difference is the Schleswig-Holstein fjord coast north of Flensburg - positions like Holnis give north-facing open sea views that Hamburg lacks. For serious aurora watching in Germany, the Flensburg-Kiel area gives the country's best northern positions. Hamburg's advantage is the Schleswig-Holstein coast is reachable in 60-90 minutes.
Can I do a Flensburg-Denmark aurora circuit?
Yes - the Danish border is 5 km north of Flensburg. Skagen at Denmark's northernmost tip is 130 km north, needs Kp 3-4, and is an easy same-day drive. During a G2+ storm, staying in Flensburg for the fjord positions makes sense. During Kp 3-4 events too weak for Flensburg, driving to Skagen is the practical solution. The combination makes Flensburg a useful base for northern aurora chasing on the German-Danish border.
When is aurora season in Flensburg?
September to March. Flensburg at 55°N geographic has around 17 hours of darkness in December. The equinox months of September and March are statistically the most geomagnetically active. Flensburg's Baltic position gives relatively clear winter skies compared to the wetter North Sea coast. Monitor NOAA space weather alerts for G1+ (Kp 5+) storms and the DWD (Deutscher Wetterdienst) cloud forecast.
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