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Night Sky Platform

Aurora Forecast — Data Architecture

What causes the aurora and the Kp index are shown as reference. Location-aware aurora forecasts are prepared for NOAA SWPC space-weather data.

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What causes the aurora

Aurorae occur when charged particles from the Sun — carried by the solar wind and coronal mass ejections — are funnelled by Earth's magnetic field into the upper atmosphere, exciting oxygen and nitrogen to glow.

The Kp index

Kp 0
Very quiet; aurora confined to high polar latitudes.
Kp 3
Unsettled; aurora possible at high latitudes.
Kp 5
Minor geomagnetic storm (G1); aurora may reach mid-high latitudes.
Kp 7
Strong storm (G3); aurora may be seen at mid-latitudes.
Kp 9
Extreme storm (G5); aurora possible far from the poles.

Related in the Knowledge Graph

The Sun
Earth

Sources & references

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • NOAA SWPCNOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

    Space-weather forecasts and alerts: aurora (OVATION), the Kp index, and the G1–G5 geomagnetic storm scale.