Aurora Borealis in Ilkeston
United Kingdom · 52.97°, -1.31° · geomagnetic 55.0° · needs Kp 7
Tonight's aurora forecast for Ilkeston
3%
Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Ilkeston 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 Ilkeston
The aurora is typically visible when the planetary Kp index reaches 7 or higher. At Ilkeston's geomagnetic latitude of 55.0°, this level of activity is expected on an average of 2.7 nights per year.
Auroral displays are rare but possible events. Patience and persistence are key for aurora watchers.
The best months for aurora viewing in Ilkeston are September, August, and November. During these months, the nights are long enough for potential aurora displays.
From June to July, the region experiences periods of no full darkness, which can obscure aurora visibility.
Ilkeston has a Bortle scale rating of 7, indicating significant light pollution. For darker skies, consider traveling east-south-east towards South Kesteven (Bortle 5) or King's Lynn and West Norfolk (Bortle 4).
Local terrain features include Windmill Hill, 4.4 km east-north-east, and Nottingham M1, 4.5 km east-north-east, which may offer elevated viewpoints. Locko Park is 6.6 km west-south-west.
Areas near Ilkeston include Windmill Hill, located 4.4 km east-north-east, and Nottingham M1, 4.5 km east-north-east. Locko Park is situated 6.6 km west-south-west.
Further afield, Holmes's Islands lie 30.9 km west, and Newark Island is 34.3 km east-north-east.
Between 2016 and 2026, there have been approximately 2.7 nights per year with sufficient geomagnetic activity for aurora viewing at Ilkeston's latitude. The historical record spans from April 2, 2016, to March 30, 2026.
Notable qualifying nights 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 · Solar declination and hour-angle calculation · Falchi 2016 World Atlas of artificial night sky brightness · GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)
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