The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is a breathtaking natural spectacle that can occasionally grace the night skies over Britain. Once witnessed, it leaves an indelible impression. Aurora Watch UK provides a valuable service by monitoring geomagnetic activity, alerting you when there's a possibility of seeing the aurora from the UK.

Stay informed with real-time alerts about increases in geomagnetic activity. These alerts are triggered when the AuroraWatch status level changes, indicating the relative likelihood of viewing an aurora in the UK. You can also check the current alert status and review the recent history of the last 24 hours. Additionally, a 30-minute forecast model from the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) is available to enhance your aurora viewing experience.

For any issues, please email [email protected].

Please note that Aurora Watch is not a forecasting app. Certain phone settings, such as Battery Saver, can limit the receipt of push notifications, potentially narrowing or even closing the aurora alert window. If you're not receiving alerts, check your phone's Settings/Notifications/App settings to ensure that notifications for Aurora Watch UK are enabled.

The app does not send historical alerts. If your phone is off or unable to connect to the internet when the status increases but returns to a lower level before the next data update, you will not receive an alert. There is also a necessary delay before alerts are sent, as the data needs to 'settle down,' as recommended by Lancaster University.

Lancaster University, which provides the alert data, primarily uses their Lancaster magnetometer for alerting, though they have others, including one in Shetland. While there's a higher chance of seeing an aurora in Shetland, the alerts are generally more 'pessimistic' since the Shetland data is not typically used. This approach is suitable for those in England but less so for those further north.

The Aurora Watch UK (Android) app is developed and maintained by Smallbouldering Projects and is not an 'Official' app. The alerts data is provided by Lancaster University, UK, using data from the SAMNET and/or AuroraWatchNet magnetometer networks. For more information, visit http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/introduction.

What's New in the Latest Version 1.97

Last updated on Oct 20, 2024

• Added some abbreviations to About.
• Added Bristol and Portsmouth to locations.
• Added new optional Alert Notification "Triggered by value" so that, for example, when there has been a red alert and the status value (nT) goes even higher, you can receive another notification.