Aurora Borealis in Atherton
United Kingdom · 53.52°, -2.49° · geomagnetic 55.7° · needs Kp 7
Tonight's aurora forecast for Atherton
9%
Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Atherton needs Kp 7 to see anything at all, and tonight the forecast peaks at Kp 4.9. Short of the threshold, which is what most nights look like here.
Get the full 30-night forecast in Revon
Updated 2026-09-08 10:36 UTC
Local aurora guide for Atherton
Atherton is at 55.7° geomagnetic latitude. Auroras are typically visible at this latitude during intense geomagnetic storms, rated Kp 7 or higher.
On average, there are 2.7 nights per year with conditions suitable for aurora viewing in Atherton. These opportunities are rare and require specific conditions.
The historical record for aurora sightings in Atherton spans from 2016 to 2026.
The best months for aurora viewing in Atherton are September, August, and November. These months offer a good balance of darkness and potential aurora activity.
During May, June, and July, Atherton experiences periods without full darkness, which can significantly reduce the visibility of auroras.
Atherton experiences a Bortle 7 light pollution level, indicating significant artificial light that can obscure aurora visibility. For darker skies, Bortle 4 conditions can be found 53 km north near Ribble Valley.
The local horizon offers several elevated points that may provide clearer views. These include Top o' Cow, 4.0 km north-north-east, and Newcombe Drive (Greenheys), 4.9 km east-north-east.
Further afield, Harcles Hill, a peak 17.3 km north-east, and Bull Hill, a mountain 18.1 km north-north-east, also present elevated terrain.
Near Atherton, Top o' Cow is a hill located 4.0 km to the north-north-east. Newcombe Drive (Greenheys) is another hill situated 4.9 km to the east-north-east.
Further north, The Island is a notable feature 13.8 km away. Harcles Hill, a peak, is 17.3 km to the north-east.
Bull Hill, classified as a mountain, is located 18.1 km to the north-north-east of Atherton.
Between 2015 and 2016, there were 226 verified aurora reports within 300 km of Atherton.
The historical data indicates specific nights with significant geomagnetic activity. These include 2026-03-20 (Kp 7.0), 2026-01-20 (Kp 7.67), and 2026-01-19 (Kp 8.67).
Additional qualifying nights with high Kp values were recorded on 2025-11-12 (Kp 7.33) and 2025-11-11 (Kp 8.67).
Sources: Revon location dataset · Revon analysis of NOAA planetary Kp · Solar declination and hour-angle calculation · Falchi 2016 World Atlas of artificial night sky brightness · GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) · Aurorasaurus verified positive reports
Know when it is worth going outside
Revon watches the Atherton forecast and pushes an alert when the odds for tonight clear your threshold — no checking, no guessing.
Nearby towns
Forecasts for places within reach of Atherton.