Kp index › Kp 1 locations

Quiet - oval locations only

Kp 1 aurora locations

At Kp 1, aurora is only visible from locations inside or close to the auroral oval - roughly above 67°N magnetic latitude. This includes the far north of Norway, Svalbard, northern Canada, and northern Alaska. Even at Kp 1 the aurora can be bright and active; these locations sit directly beneath the oval where aurora occurs on most clear nights during the season.

See coverage regions → All 40 locations

Locations reachable

40

sites at Kp 1+

Storm class

Quiet

geomagnetic activity

Min magnetic latitude

80°

aurora visible south of

Current Kp

1

threshold met tonight

Kp 1 is the lowest level at which aurora is visible. For stronger activity see Kp 2 locations.

What Kp 1 means tonight

At Kp 1, aurora is only visible from locations inside or close to the auroral oval - roughly above 67°N magnetic latitude. This includes the far north of Norway, Svalbard, northern Canada, and northern Alaska. Even at Kp 1 the aurora can be bright and active; these locations sit directly beneath the oval where aurora occurs on most clear nights during the season.

Where Kp 1 reaches

Coverage regions

Aurora-viewing areas that come into range at Kp 1.

Scandinavia

Scandinavia

Northern Norway, Swedish Lapland, Finnish Lapland, and Svalbard all sit inside or adjacent to the auroral oval at Kp 1. Tromsø, Abisko, Saariselkä, and Svalbard are the benchmark destinations.

North America

North America

Yellowknife, Churchill, Dawson City in Canada and Fairbanks in Alaska sit inside the auroral oval at Kp 1. These are among the most consistent aurora destinations in the world.

Right now

Current conditions

Kp now 1 G0 · Quiet

Low activity expected. Solar conditions are currently quiet. Chances of aurora visibility are low tonight.

The Kp index measures global geomagnetic disturbance on a scale of 0–9. At Kp 1+, the 40 locations on this page are potentially visible. Check your location's cloud cover for tonight's conditions.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

QuietG1 stormG3Extreme

Kp index explained →

Locations sorted by tonight's cloud cover - clearest conditions first. Updated every 30 minutes.

Northern hemisphere

40 locations in range at Kp 1+.

Abisko

Sweden's aurora capital, cloudless micro-climate

From Kp 1-2

Alaska

Alaska hub – Fairbanks and Anchorage overview

Alta

Northern Norway, polar night

From Kp 1-2

Andenes

Andøya north tip, lighthouse, Bleik beach, Space Centre

From Kp 1-2

Bodø

Above Arctic Circle, Lofoten gateway

From Kp 1-2

Churchill

Sub-Arctic Manitoba, auroral oval

From Kp 1-2

Dawson City

Yukon gold rush town inside the aurora oval

From Kp 1-2

Fairbanks

Alaska, auroral oval, Cleary Summit

From Kp 1-2

Finnish Lapland

Aurora belt above 68°N, Saariselkä, Levi, Ivalo hub

From Kp 1-2

Finnsnes

Senja gateway, Gisund strait, 80 km south of Tromsø

From Kp 1-2

Gällivare

Dundret fell, less-visited Lapland

From Kp 1-2

Hammerfest

Northernmost town, 70°N, polar night, Barents Sea

Harstad

Hinnøya island, Vesterålen gateway, Trondenes peninsula

Honningsvåg

North Cape gateway, 71°N, Nordkapp plateau

Ilulissat

UNESCO Icefjord, icebergs and aurora

Ivalo

Finland's northernmost town at 69°N

Jukkasjärvi

ICEHOTEL on the Torne River

From Kp 1-2

Kangerlussuaq

Clearest skies in Greenland, tundra dark sky

Kautokeino

Finnmarksvidda plateau, Bortle Class 1, Sámi heartland

Kirkenes

Russian border, east Finnmark, clear sky advantage

Kiruna

ICEHOTEL and Swedish Lapland aurora

From Kp 1-2

Kittilä

Direct flights, gateway to Levi

From Kp 1-2

Kvaløya

Tromsø island, Kattfjordeidet headland

Levi

Lapland ski resort, glass igloos

From Kp 1-2

Luosto

Purpose-built aurora resort

From Kp 1-2

Lyngen Alps

Alpine fjord scenery, 70°N

Lyngseidet

Lyngenfjord ferry terminal, Lyngen Alps backdrop

Mehamn

Barents Sea coast, Slettnes Lighthouse, polar night

Narvik

Arctic port city, Ofoten fjord, Narvikfjellet gondola

From Kp 1-2

Nuuk

Greenland capital, Nuup Kangerlua fjord

Saariselkä

Finland's best dark-sky area

From Kp 1-2

Senja

Island of contrasts, dramatic coastline

From Kp 1-2

Sommarøy

Island west of Tromsø, Polar Ocean horizon, Rebbenesøya

From Kp 1-2

Svalbard

Inside the auroral oval year-round

Tromsø

World's aurora capital

From Kp 1-2

Tromsvik

Mainland north of Tromsø, Arctic Ocean views, Ullsfjorden

From Kp 1-2

Vardø

Norway's easternmost town, Barents Sea, Bortle Class 1

Vesterålen

Island group north of Lofoten, Andøya, Bleik beach

From Kp 1-2

Yellowknife

Aurora capital of North America

From Kp 1-2

Ylläs

Finland's highest fell at 718 m

From Kp 1-2

Common questions

Kp 1 aurora - FAQ

Everything you need to know about aurora visibility at Kp 1.

What does Kp 1 mean for aurora?

Kp 1 means quiet geomagnetic conditions with minimal disturbance. The auroral oval is in its compressed, high-latitude position. At this level aurora is reliably visible only from locations sitting inside or at the edge of the oval - above 67°N magnetic latitude. That includes Tromsø, Svalbard, Yellowknife, and Finnish Lapland.

Where can you see aurora at Kp 1?

Svalbard (78°N magnetic), northern Norway including Tromsø and Alta (70°N), Yellowknife in Canada (69°N magnetic), and Ivalo and Saariselkä in Finnish Lapland (68-69°N) are the main Kp 1 destinations. Abisko in Sweden and Fairbanks in Alaska also sit at this latitude.

How often does Kp reach 1?

The Kp index is rarely exactly 1 - it is almost always at least 1 during daylight hours and often higher. A Kp of 1 simply means conditions are at the low end of normal. For aurora-watching purposes, Kp 1-2 is effectively the same: quiet conditions where only the highest-latitude locations see activity.

Is Kp 1 enough to see aurora?

Yes, if you are in the right location. Tromsø, Svalbard, Yellowknife, and Finnish Lapland all sit inside or near the auroral oval. At those latitudes, Kp 1 on a clear, moonless night will often produce visible aurora - sometimes active displays. From anywhere south of 60°N, Kp 1 produces nothing visible.

What are the best locations for Kp 1 aurora viewing?

Svalbard at 78°N is the most reliable - it is inside the oval year-round. Tromsø and Alta in Norway, Yellowknife in Canada, Ivalo and Saariselkä in Finland, Abisko in Sweden, and Fairbanks in Alaska all regularly see aurora at Kp 1-2 during the dark season.

Sean Barraclough

Creator of Aurora Tonight

Photograph the aurora

Recommended gear

Tested picks for capturing the aurora on long, cold nights.

Sony Alpha 7 III Mirrorless Camera

Nikon Z6 II Mirrorless Camera Kit

Canon EOS R6 Mark II

Nikon Z 50II Body

Rokinon 14mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Lens

Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary

K&F Concept 60" Carbon Fibre Tripod

AODELAN Wireless Camera Remote (Nikon)

K&F LP-E17 3-pack Battery & Charger (Canon)

Winter Mittens Gloves

BORUIT LED Head Torch

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