Northern lights Aviemore tonight

The Cairngorm ski area road climbs to the Coire Cas car park at 635 m, with the mountain railway then running to the Ptarmigan summit station at 1097 m. The car park itself gives a substantial dark sky improvement over the valley; the ski road is open year-round to the Coire Cas car park and is ploughed in winter. The valley below contains Aviemore and Carrbridge, but both light domes are to the west and southwest and do not affect the northern and northeastern horizons. Bortle Class 2 from the car park and above. The plateau above is Britain's largest sub-Arctic wilderness - at altitude the aurora is visible in all directions with no horizon obstruction.

Loch Morlich is a shallow loch at 309 m in the Glenmore forest, 8 km east of Aviemore on the Cairngorm ski road. The Glenmore Lodge car park on the south shore gives a north-facing view across the water toward Meall a' Bhuachaille (810 m) beyond. When the loch is calm, any aurora reflects across the surface. The surrounding Scots pine forest blocks some of the lower sky, but the loch gap gives a clear band in the north. The campsite and watersports centre close at dusk, leaving the car parks free. Bortle Class 2 throughout. The road is tarmac and cleared in winter as far as Cairngorm.

Loch an Eilein is a forest loch in the Rothiemurchus estate south of Aviemore, famous for its castle island. The car park at the estate entrance gives access to the loch shore in 10 minutes of walking on a flat path. The south and west shores of the loch have northward views across the water with the Cairngorm hills forming the background. The Rothiemurchus estate forest suppresses Aviemore's sky glow effectively - within 200 m of the main car park the town lights are invisible. Bortle Class 2-3 at the car park, improving to Class 2 at the loch shore. The car park charges a small fee and has a barrier that closes at dusk; park before 5pm or use the lay-by on the B970.