Aurora Watch (UK)

The aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, is a breathtaking natural phenomenon that occasionally graces the night skies over Britain. Once witnessed, it leaves an indelible impression. AuroraWatch UK is a valuable tool for enthusiasts, allowing you to monitor geomagnetic activity and receive timely alerts when there's a possibility of seeing the aurora from the UK.

Stay updated with alerts about increases in geomagnetic activity, which are triggered when the AuroraWatch status level changes. This change in status level indicates the relative likelihood of viewing an aurora in the UK.

You can also check the current alert status, review the recent history of the last 24 hours, and access a 30-minute forecast model from the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). If you encounter any issues, please email [email protected].

Please note that AuroraWatch UK is not a forecasting app. Be aware that phone settings like Battery Saver can limit the reception of push notifications, which may narrow or even close the aurora alert window. If you're not receiving alerts, check your phone's Settings/Notifications/App settings to ensure that Notifications for AuroraWatch UK are enabled.

The app does not send alerts retroactively. If your phone is off or unable to connect to the internet when the status increases but then decreases 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 alerts, typically uses data from their Lancaster magnetometer, though they also have others, such as one in Shetland. Alerts may be more 'pessimistic' because they usually do not use the Shetland data, which is more relevant for those further north. This approach is suitable for those in England but less so for those in more northern regions.

The AuroraWatch UK (Android) app is developed and maintained by Smallbouldering Projects and is not an 'Official' app. The alerts data is sourced from Lancaster University, UK, using data from the SAMNET and/or AuroraWatchNet magnetometer networks. You can read more about this at 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 a 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.