Aurora Borealis in Irlam
United Kingdom · 53.44°, -2.42° · geomagnetic 55.6° · needs Kp 7
Tonight's aurora forecast for Irlam
8%
Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Irlam 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 Irlam
Irlam is at 55.6° geomagnetic latitude. Auroras are typically visible at this latitude during intense geomagnetic storms, which are classified as Kp 7 or higher.
On average, there are 2.7 nights per year when conditions are suitable for aurora viewing in this region. The historical record spans from April 2, 2016, to March 30, 2026.
The best months for aurora viewing in Irlam are September, August, and November. These months offer a good balance of darkness and potential aurora activity.
During May, June, and July, the region experiences periods without full darkness, which can significantly reduce the visibility of auroras.
Irlam has a Bortle scale rating of 7, indicating significant light pollution. For darker skies, areas like Ribble Valley, approximately 62 km north, offer Bortle 4 conditions.
Local viewpoints include Pennington Hall Park, Firs Park, and Newcombe Drive (Greenheys), offering varied horizons.
Other potential locations with different horizons include Saint George's Island and Top o' Cow.
Pennington Hall Park is a local park situated 8.4 km north-west of Irlam.
Firs Park is another park located 9.8 km north-west of Irlam.
Newcombe Drive (Greenheys) is a hill area 10.9 km north of Irlam, and Saint George's Island is an island 11.1 km east-north-east of Irlam. Top o' Cow is a hill 12.7 km north-north-west of Irlam.
There are 156 verified aurora reports within 300 km of Irlam, recorded between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016.
Notable qualifying nights in the recent record 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
Know when it is worth going outside
Revon watches the Irlam 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 Irlam.