Northern lights in Isle of Coll tonight
Inner Hebrides, Scotland · 56° magnetic latitude · Kp 4 threshold
Kp 1 is well below the Kp 4 threshold needed for aurora to be visible from Isle of Coll.
7-day outlook for Isle of Coll
Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.
auroratonight.space
What Kp is needed here?
Isle of Coll 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 4 before the auroral oval expands far enough south to be visible from here.
At Kp 4, visibility is possible from Isle of Coll 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 Isle of Coll
Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark northern horizon within reach.
Arinagour and the island's open coastline
Get directions ↗Coll was certified an International Dark-Sky Association Dark Sky Community in December 2013 - Scotland's second such designation. The island is small, low-lying, and sparsely populated (around 200 residents), so there is very little artificial light to escape almost anywhere on it. The IDA's assessment noted the island is dark enough that no single named viewing spot is essential - the open beaches and coastline on the north and west sides give an unobstructed view toward the usual aurora direction.
Best time to see the northern lights in Isle of Coll
Isle of Coll's aurora season runs from late September through to March, when nights are long enough for truly dark skies. The equinox months, September and March, bring a natural boost in geomagnetic activity, making them statistically the best of the season. Summer months bring too much twilight for aurora to be visible at this latitude.
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 Isle of Coll's latitude.
April through August brings persistent astronomical twilight that washes out aurora completely. Even strong events (Kp 6+) remain invisible during this period because the sky never gets dark enough.
Up to 8 locations
Related pages
Scotland Aurora Hub
All Scottish aurora locations with live forecast.
Read →Northern Lights Oban Tonight
Oban is the mainland ferry gateway to Coll.
Read →Northern Lights Argyll Tonight
Argyll mainland dark sky sites, similar geomagnetic latitude.
Read →Northern Lights Isle of Skye Tonight
Skye - a little further north, similar Hebridean dark sky.
Read →What Is the Kp Index?
What Kp 4 means for viewing from Coll.
Read →Aurora photographs from Isle of Coll
Real photos sourced from Wikimedia Commons.
Aurora over Isle of Coll
Aurora over Isle of Coll
Aurora over Isle of Coll
Aurora over Isle of Coll
Aurora over Isle of Coll
Aurora over Isle of CollPlanning your aurora trip
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