Aurora Borealis in Chelmsford
United Kingdom · 51.74°, 0.47° · geomagnetic 53.5° · needs Kp 7
Tonight's aurora forecast for Chelmsford
1%
Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Chelmsford 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 Chelmsford
Chelmsford is at 53.5° geomagnetic latitude. Auroras are typically visible at this latitude during intense geomagnetic storms, which require a minimum Kp of 7.
On average, there are about 2.7 nights per year when conditions are suitable for aurora viewing in Chelmsford. This is based on historical data spanning from April 2016 to March 2026.
The best months for aurora viewing in Chelmsford are September, August, and November. These months offer a good balance of darkness and potential aurora activity.
During June and July, there is no full darkness, which significantly reduces the chances of seeing the aurora.
Chelmsford experiences a Bortle 6 sky, indicating moderate light pollution. Areas with darker skies, such as Bortle 4, are located about 45 km to the southeast, and Bortle 5 skies are found near Braintree, about 29 km to the north.
The horizon in Chelmsford is characterized by features like Treasure Island (7.3 km east-north-east), Criers Wood (16.3 km east-north-east), Latton Island (25.4 km west-north-west), Harlow Town Park (26.0 km west), and Sales Point (32.0 km east).
Geographic features near Chelmsford include Treasure Island, an island located 7.3 km east-north-east. Criers Wood, a hill, is situated 16.3 km east-north-east.
Further afield, Latton Island is an island 25.4 km west-north-west of Chelmsford. Harlow Town Park is a park located 26.0 km west. Sales Point, a headland, is found 32.0 km east.
There have been 48 verified aurora sightings reported within 300 km of Chelmsford between January 2015 and December 2016.
Based on historical Kp data, qualifying nights for aurora viewing in Chelmsford 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 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
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Revon watches the Chelmsford forecast and pushes an alert when the odds for tonight clear your threshold — no checking, no guessing.
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Forecasts for places within reach of Chelmsford.