Aurora Borealis in Bismarck
United States · 46.81°, -100.78° · geomagnetic 54.8° · needs Kp 7
Tonight's aurora forecast for Bismarck
2%
Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Bismarck needs Kp 7 to see anything at all, and tonight the forecast peaks at Kp 4.7. Short of the threshold, which is what most nights look like here.
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Updated 2026-09-08 10:36 UTC
Local aurora guide for Bismarck
Bismarck is located at a geomagnetic latitude of 54.8°, which is favorable for aurora viewing.
An aurora event requires a Kp index of 7 or higher. Based on historical data, there are approximately 3.2 nights per year with conditions suitable for viewing auroras in Bismarck.
The best months for aurora viewing in Bismarck are May, September, and August. These months offer a good balance of darkness and potential aurora activity.
Bismarck experiences a Bortle 6 sky, indicating moderate light pollution. However, areas north of the city, near Burleigh County, offer darker skies with a Bortle 3 rating.
Several locations around Bismarck offer varied horizons. The Bismarck Community Bowl to the west-north-west and Pioneer Park to the north-west provide parkland views. Dead Heart Slough to the west offers a lake view, while Burnt Butte to the north and Keever Butte to the north-east are mountainous terrain.
The Bismarck Community Bowl, located 3.2 km west-north-west of Bismarck, is a park area.
Pioneer Park, situated 4.2 km north-west of Bismarck, is another park offering potential viewing.
For a view over water, Dead Heart Slough is a lake located 11.7 km west of Bismarck. Mountainous terrain can be found at Burnt Butte, 14.6 km north of Bismarck, and Keever Butte, 16.4 km north-north-east of Bismarck.
Between April 2, 2016, and March 30, 2026, there were approximately 3.2 nights per year suitable for aurora viewing in Bismarck.
Historical records show verified sightings in the region. Specific qualifying nights with high Kp values include March 20, 2026 (Kp 7.0), January 20, 2026 (Kp 7.67), January 19, 2026 (Kp 8.67), November 12, 2025 (Kp 7.33), and November 11, 2025 (Kp 8.67).
Sources: Revon analysis of NOAA planetary Kp · Falchi 2016 World Atlas of artificial night sky brightness · GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)
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