Aurora Borealis in Cheltenham
United Kingdom · 51.90°, -2.08° · geomagnetic 54.1° · needs Kp 7
Tonight's aurora forecast for Cheltenham
2%
Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Cheltenham 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.
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Updated 2026-09-08 10:36 UTC
Local aurora guide for Cheltenham
Cheltenham is at a geomagnetic latitude of 54.1 degrees. Auroras are typically visible at this latitude during periods of high geomagnetic activity, specifically when the Kp index reaches 7 or above.
On average, there are about 2.7 nights per year in Cheltenham where conditions are suitable for aurora viewing, based on historical geomagnetic data.
The period from 2016 to 2026 has been analyzed for potential aurora viewing opportunities.
The best months for aurora viewing in Cheltenham are September, August, and November. These months offer a good balance of darkness and potential aurora activity.
During June and July, there is not enough full darkness to observe the aurora, even if activity is high.
Cheltenham experiences a Bortle 6 sky, indicating moderate light pollution. Areas with darker skies, such as Bortle 4 near Herefordshire (74 km west-north-west) or Bortle 5 near Cotswold District (18 km south-south-east), offer better viewing conditions.
Notable elevated terrain near Cheltenham includes Cleeve Hill (5.5 km east-north-east) and Nottingham Hill (6.9 km north-north-east), which may offer clearer views.
Other features like Kemerton lake (13.9 km north), Glover's Island (23.6 km north-north-east), and Worcestershire Beacon (28.9 km north-west) are also present in the surrounding landscape.
Cleeve Hill, a hill located 5.5 km east-north-east of Cheltenham, is a prominent feature in the area.
Nottingham Hill, another hill situated 6.9 km north-north-east of Cheltenham, is also nearby.
Further afield, Kemerton lake lies 13.9 km north, Glover's Island is 23.6 km north-north-east, and Worcestershire Beacon, a mountain, is 28.9 km north-west of Cheltenham.
Between 2016 and 2026, there were approximately 2.7 nights per year suitable for aurora viewing in the Cheltenham region.
Aurorasaurus has recorded 65 verified reports within a 300 km radius of Cheltenham between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016.
Notable 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 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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