Northern lights New Jersey tonight
New Jersey at roughly 50°N magnetic latitude needs Kp 4 from dark sky sites. The Pine Barrens in south-central New Jersey give a surprising Bortle 3 dark sky just 80 miles from Manhattan. High Point State Park in the northwest gives the state's highest position at 550 m. Best season: September to April.
Aurora visibility - New Jersey
Unlikely tonight
Kp 1 is well below the Kp 4–5 threshold needed for aurora to be visible from New Jersey.
Current Kp
1
of 9
7-day outlook for New Jersey
Today
3 Jun
Tomorrow
4 Jun
Fri
5 Jun
Sat
6 Jun
Sun
7 Jun
Mon
8 Jun
Tue
9 Jun
Based on CME arrival predictions from NASA DONKI. Arrival times ±6 hours.
auroratonight.space
What Kp is needed here?
New Jersey sits at a magnetic latitude of approximately 50°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 4–5 before the auroral oval expands far enough south to be visible from here.
At Kp 4–5, visibility is possible from New Jersey 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 New Jersey
Light pollution is the biggest obstacle after cloud cover. These sites give you the best dark northern horizon within reach.
Wharton State Forest / Pine Barrens
Get directions ↗The Pine Barrens - a million-acre forest in south-central New Jersey - gives Bortle 3 conditions surprising for a state surrounded by dense population. The Batsto area and the Mullica River corridor are the darkest points. The forest gives open sky above pitch pine canopy gaps facing north. At 39.8°N geographic (roughly 50°N magnetic), the latitude is the same as New York City. The lack of development across this large forested area creates a genuine dark zone within the state.
High Point State Park
Get directions ↗New Jersey's highest point at 550 m in the Kittatinny Mountains on the New York border. The summit monument faces north across the Wallkill Valley toward New York State. At 41.3°N geographic - the highest latitude in New Jersey - combined with the elevation, this gives the state's best aurora viewing geometry. About 70 miles from Newark via I-287 and NJ-23.
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Get directions ↗The Delaware River valley between New Jersey and Pennsylvania gives Bortle 3 sky 55 miles from Newark. The ridge tops on the New Jersey side face north across the gap. The Appalachian Trail along the Kittatinny Ridge above the gap gives elevated sky access. Several trailheads are accessible from I-80. The gap sits between the two largest metro areas in the northeast, keeping development minimal in the valley itself.
Best time to see the northern lights in New Jersey
New Jersey'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 New Jersey'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.
Other USA aurora forecasts
← USA overviewCompare nearby locations
Up to 4 locations
Related pages
USA Aurora Overview
State-by-state aurora forecast and Kp thresholds across the United States.
New York Aurora Forecast
Aurora forecast for New York, including the Adirondacks and upstate dark sky sites.
Pennsylvania Aurora Forecast
Aurora forecast for Pennsylvania, including Cherry Springs State Park.
Maryland Aurora Forecast
Aurora forecast for Maryland with western mountain dark sky sites.
Kp Index Guide
What the Kp index means and how to use it to plan aurora viewing.
Aurora photographs from New Jersey
Aurora borealis over New Jersey
Matt Hecht · Public domain · Source
Aurora borealis over New Jersey
Matt Hecht · Public domain · Source
Aurora borealis over New Jersey
Matt Hecht · Public domain · Source
Aurora borealis over New Jersey
Matt Hecht · Public domain · Source
Aurora borealis over New Jersey
Matt Hecht · Public domain · Source
Aurora borealis over New Jersey
Matt Hecht · Public domain · Source
Common questions
Aurora viewing in New Jersey - the Pine Barrens, High Point, and what Kp level is needed from Newark and the Philadelphia suburbs.
