Aurora Borealis in Motala
Sweden · 58.54°, 15.04° · geomagnetic 57.7° · needs Kp 7
Tonight's aurora forecast for Motala
34%
Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Motala needs Kp 7 to see anything at all, and tonight the forecast peaks at Kp 4.8. 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 Motala
Motala is located at 57.7° geomagnetic latitude. Auroras are typically visible when the planetary Kp index reaches 7.
Based on historical data, there are approximately 2.4 nights per year in Motala where auroral activity could be observed. This is based on records from 2016 to 2026.
The best months for aurora viewing in Motala are September, November, and March. These months offer a good balance of darkness and potential auroral activity.
During May, June, July, and August, there is insufficient darkness for aurora viewing due to the high latitude.
Motala has a Bortle scale rating of 5, indicating a suburban sky. Areas with Bortle 4 ratings are located 13 km east-south-east near Motala kommun, and Bortle 5 areas are 5 km south-south-west near Motala kommun.
The horizon is relatively clear in several directions. Notable features include Sjöbo-Knäppan Naturreservat 3.4 km east-north-east, Karsviken bay 3.8 km east-north-east, and Varamoviken bay 4.2 km west-north-west.
Sjöbo-Knäppan Naturreservat, a nature reserve located 3.4 km east-north-east of Motala, offers a potential viewing location.
Karsviken, a bay situated 3.8 km east-north-east of Motala, and Varamoviken, another bay 4.2 km west-north-west of Motala, are also nearby.
Further afield, Djurgårdsudde headland is 5.7 km north-east, and Håleberg hill is 7.0 km north of Motala.
Between 2016 and 2026, there were an average of 2.4 nights per year suitable for aurora viewing in Motala.
The historical record includes specific qualifying nights such as 2026-03-20 (Kp 7.0), 2026-01-20 (Kp 7.67), 2026-01-19 (Kp 8.67), 2025-11-12 (Kp 7.33), and 2025-11-11 (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)
Know when it is worth going outside
Revon watches the Motala 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 Motala.