Aurora Borealis in Newtownards
United Kingdom · 54.59°, -5.69° · geomagnetic 57.2° · needs Kp 7
Tonight's aurora forecast for Newtownards
36%
Peak chance of a visible display tonight, from the same model the Revon app runs. Newtownards 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 10:35 UTC
Local aurora guide for Newtownards
Newtownards is located at 57.2° geomagnetic latitude. Auroras are typically visible at this latitude when the Kp index reaches 7.
On average, there are about 2.6 nights per year where conditions are suitable for aurora viewing in Newtownards.
Historical data from 2016 to 2026 indicates these viewing opportunities.
The best months for aurora viewing in Newtownards are September, August, and November.
During May, June, and July, there is no full darkness, which can impact viewing conditions.
Newtownards experiences a Bortle 7 sky, indicating significant light pollution.
Darker skies, rated Bortle 4, can be found approximately 16 km south-east near Ards and North Down District Council.
Nearby features include Cairngaver hill to the north-west, Bangor Bay to the north, and Ballykeel hill to the west-north-west.
Cairngaver, a hill located 4.6 km north-west of Newtownards, offers a potential vantage point.
Bangor Bay is situated 8.4 km north of Newtownards.
Ballykeel, another hill, is located 8.4 km west-north-west of Newtownards. Ballyholme Bay is 9.3 km north-north-east, and Grey Point headland is 10.0 km north-north-west.
There have been 256 verified aurora reports within 300 km of Newtownards between January 2015 and December 2016.
The period from 2016 to 2026 includes several nights with significant geomagnetic activity, such as March 20, 2026 (Kp 7.0), January 20, 2026 (Kp 7.67), and January 19, 2026 (Kp 8.67).
Other notable dates include 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 Newtownards 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 Newtownards.