Northern lights in Shetland Islands tonight
Northern Isles, Scotland · 61° magnetic latitude · Kp 2-3 threshold
Kp 1 is below the threshold for Shetland Islands. Activity would need to rise to Kp 2-3 before aurora could reach this latitude.
7-day outlook for Shetland Islands
Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.
auroratonight.space
What Kp is needed here?
Shetland Islands sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 61°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 2-3 before the auroral oval expands far enough south to be visible from here.
At Kp 2-3, visibility is possible from Shetland Islands 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 Shetland Islands
Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark northern horizon within reach.
Eshaness cliffs, north mainland
Get directions ↗North-west Shetland. Dramatic sea cliffs with open Atlantic horizon to the north and virtually no light pollution within 20 miles.
Ronas Hill
Get directions ↗The highest point in Shetland at 450 m. Open summit with 360-degree views. Properly dark in all directions except for a faint glow from Lerwick to the south-east.
Yell and Unst
Get directions ↗The northern islands of Shetland sit at over 60.5°N. Essentially anywhere away from the few small settlements gives exceptional aurora viewing conditions.
Sumburgh Head
Get directions ↗The southern tip of Shetland mainland. Open headland with lighthouse and dark sea horizon facing north over open water.
Best time to see the northern lights in Shetland Islands
At 61°N magnetic latitude, Shetland Islands has one of the longest aurora seasons in the world. Meaningful darkness returns in late August and displays are possible on almost any clear night from September through March. Only the endless daylight of May, June, and July rules out viewing completely.
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 Shetland Islands's latitude.
May through July is effectively impossible for aurora viewing: the midnight sun keeps the sky bright around the clock at this latitude. No storm level, not even G5, can produce a visible display without astronomical darkness.
Up to 8 locations
How often does the aurora appear in Shetland Islands?
Average nights per month the Kp reached Shetland Islands's threshold of 2+, from 15 years of geomagnetic data (2010–2024).
Counts the Kp 2+ 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 Shetland Islands
Best window
The September to November window averages 62 aurora nights - the strongest consecutive stretch of the year.
How long to stay
For your best chance in March, plan at least 2 nights.
Related pages
Northern Lights UK
Live aurora forecast hub for all UK regions.
Read →Scotland Aurora Hub
Scotland-wide aurora forecast.
Read →Northern Lights Orkney Islands Tonight
Orkney is just south and shares an exceptionally low Kp threshold.
Read →Best Time to See Northern Lights UK
When the season opens and which months are most active.
Read →What Is the Kp Index?
Why Kp 2-3 is enough for Shetland but not for the rest of the UK.
Read →Aurora photographs from Shetland Islands
Real photos sourced from Wikimedia Commons.
Aurora over Shetland Islands 
Aurora over Shetland Islands 
Aurora over Shetland Islands 
Aurora over Shetland Islands 
Aurora over Shetland Islands 
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