Northern lights in Madison tonight

What is Kp? A number from 0 to 9 for how stormy space weather is. Most nights are 1 to 3. At 5 or more it's a storm, and the northern lights spread much further south. More about Kp

Kp needed here4–6

Typically about Kp 5 for a glow low on the northern horizon. It depends on distance from the magnetic pole, which is why two cities on the same latitude can need different numbers.

High in the sky fromKp 7

Below this, aurora stays low toward the north. Above it, the ring expands over you and it can appear anywhere overhead.

Magnetic latitude52.2°

Madison is at 43.1° on the map, but the aurora ring is centred on the magnetic pole, so for aurora it behaves like a 52.2° location.

• Look north. Aurora starts to clear the northern horizon at around Kp 5 and can reach high overhead from about Kp 7.
• Get away from street lights, with a clear view north.
• Go out around 22:00 to 02:00, when aurora is usually most active.
• Give your eyes twenty minutes to adjust. A phone camera picks up colour long before your eyes do.
• Kp covers the whole planet in three-hour blocks, so it can't say where aurora is this minute. NOAA's live aurora map shows the next half hour.

Can you see the aurora borealis from Madison, Wisconsin?

Yes, during strong enough geomagnetic activity. Madison, Wisconsin sits at about 52.2° geomagnetic latitude, so aurora becomes visible low on the northern horizon at around Kp 5, and the oval expands over it at around Kp 7, when displays can reach high into the sky rather than staying low. Kp is a planetary three-hour index: it tells you how far the auroral oval reaches, not exactly where the aurora will be in your sky at a given moment.

What Kp index is needed to see the aurora in Madison?

About Kp 5 for a display low on the horizon, and about Kp 7 before the oval expands over you and displays reach high into the sky. Kp is a planetary index, so the number you need depends on your geomagnetic latitude rather than your position on a map — and it describes how far the oval reaches, not where the arc will be at a given moment.

When is the best time to look for the aurora in Madison?

Aurora is most active around magnetic midnight, roughly 22:00–02:00 local time. You also need a properly dark sky, which is not the same as "after sunset". Tonight in Madison the sky is dark enough from about 17:41 until 05:44. Clear skies matter as much as the Kp number.

How often does aurora come within reach of Madison?

Kp reached 5 or more during the night hours in Madison on 17 of the last 364 nights, which is about the level at which aurora comes into range here. That counts geomagnetic activity only: cloud, moonlight and summer daylight decide how many of those nights anything could be seen.

Can you see the northern lights from Madison without leaving the city?

Yes, during the strongest storms. Lake Mendota gives Madison an unusually open northern horizon, and in October 2024 people watched from Observatory Hill and the Lakeshore Path on campus. For weaker displays, the darker county parks west of the city near Mount Horeb and Blue Mounds make the difference.

Where do you look for the northern lights in Madison?

North, and over Lake Mendota if you are in town. The aurora sits low from here, so you want water or open farmland between you and the horizon rather than the Capitol and the downtown glow.

What are the best months for the aurora in Madison?

September to April. Wisconsin's clearest skies come in late summer and early autumn, midwinter nights are long but often overcast, and geomagnetic activity tends to rise around the March and September equinoxes. The last three big displays here came in May, October and November.