Northern lights in North York Moors tonight
North Yorkshire, England · 54° magnetic latitude · Kp 5 threshold
Kp 6 is at the threshold for North York Moors. Aurora may be visible from a dark site if cloud cover permits.
7-day outlook for North York Moors
Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.
auroratonight.space
What Kp is needed here?
North York Moors sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 54°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 North York Moors 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 North York Moors
Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark northern horizon within reach.
Urra Moor - Botton Head
Get directions ↗Botton Head (454 m) is the highest point on the Cleveland Hills on the western edge of the North York Moors National Park. The ridge gives views north toward the Tees Valley conurbation, which produces a significant light dome on the horizon during high-activity nights. The best viewing direction is northeast and overhead, where the horizon is relatively clean. The Urra Moor road climbs from Bilsdale and is accessible by car to a high-level car park near the summit. Bortle Class 3 on the ridge, improving to Class 3 looking east. The northern light dome from Teesside is visible but does not dominate the full horizon. In major storm conditions, aurora can be seen directly overhead when it reaches this latitude.
Sutton Bank
Get directions ↗Sutton Bank is a west-facing escarpment on the Hambleton Hills at 299 m, with the Yorkshire Gliding Club and a National Park visitor centre at the top. The escarpment drops away to the Vale of York below, giving an enormous western panorama. Aurora at this latitude typically appears on the northern horizon; the northern sky from Sutton Bank is open across the Hambleton Hills plateau. The visitor centre car park is free and accessible at all hours. Bortle Class 3-4 from the car park, with the Vale of York light dome visible to the west but not affecting the northern arc. The B1257 from Helmsley is a clear road accessible year-round.
Robin Hood's Bay
Get directions ↗Robin Hood's Bay is a coastal village on the North Yorkshire Heritage Coast, with clifftop paths north and south of the village that give open northern and northeastern views over the North Sea. The sea horizon to the north is completely unobstructed. The village itself is small with minimal commercial lighting; the cliff paths 200 m north of the houses are effectively dark. Any aurora on the northeastern horizon appears over the sea. Bortle Class 3 from the cliff paths. The National Park car park at the top of the village is free in the evenings. Whitby to the north produces a small light dome but it is 20 km away and does not affect the north-northeast arc.
Best time to see the northern lights in North York Moors
At 54°N magnetic latitude, North York Moors 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 North York Moors'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
How often does the aurora appear in North York Moors?
Average nights per month the Kp reached North York Moors's threshold of 5+, from 15 years of geomagnetic data (2010–2024).
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
Plan your trip to North York Moors
Best window
The August to October 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.
Related pages
Northern Lights UK Tonight
UK-wide aurora forecast with all regional thresholds.
Read →Northern Lights Yorkshire Dales Tonight
Yorkshire Dales - dark sky discovery site to the west.
Read →Northern Lights York Tonight
York - nearest city, good transport hub for the moors.
Read →Northern Lights Northumberland Tonight
Northumberland - Gold Tier Dark Sky Park, lower Kp threshold, 1 hour north.
Read →What Is the Kp Index?
How the Kp scale determines aurora visibility at your latitude.
Read →Aurora photographs from North York Moors
Real photos sourced from Wikimedia Commons.
Aurora over North York Moors
Aurora over North York Moors
Aurora over North York Moors
Aurora over North York Moors
Aurora over North York Moors
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