Yup, things are
looking up!
We're testing a new aurora forecast this year, featuring real-time data and community-specific information from across Canada's three northern territories. Scroll down to see what's up!
Northwest Territories
Printer-Friendly PDFYellowknife, Inuvik and Fort Smith
Yellowknife, NT
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Inuvik, NT
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Fort Smith, NT
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Dawson City, YT
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Whitehorse, YT
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Watson Lake, YT
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Iqaluit, NU
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Live Space Weather
Real-time space weather conditions from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
Auroral Oval
NOAA 30-minute aurora forecast
View current auroral oval →
Solar Wind
Current solar wind speed
km/s
View real-time solar wind →
Kp Index
Planetary geomagnetic activity
Retrieving NOAA data...
What does Kp mean? →
IMF Bz
Interplanetary magnetic field
nT
Learn about IMF Bz →
Looking Ahead
Long-range geomagnetic outlook based on predicted planetary Kp values from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
Source: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
AuroraMAX
Watch the northern sky over Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, through AuroraMAX.
Explore AuroraMAXUnderstand the Aurora
Learn how activity on the Sun, the solar wind and Earth's magnetic environment combine to create the northern lights.
What causes the aurora?
Discover how energy from the Sun produces light in Earth's upper atmosphere.
What does Kp mean?
Understand one of the most commonly used measures of geomagnetic activity.
Understanding Solar Wind
Learn about solar wind speed, density and the interplanetary magnetic field.
Read the Auroral Oval
Understand what auroral forecast maps can — and cannot — tell you.
About This Forecast
Welcome to Astronomy North's new community aurora forecasting tool. This page is currently in beta testing as we evaluate the expanded forecast format, automated data feeds and community-specific forecast information for locations across Northern Canada.
Astronomy North's community-specific aurora forecasts are created using global space weather data provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Forecasters examine global geomagnetic field conditions to estimate the probability of active auroras above each northern community.
The forecast percentages represent the probability of active auroras in the skies above the community. Evening refers to the hours before local midnight, while Overnight refers to the period from local midnight until sunrise.
Astronomy North's aurora forecast is normally updated daily before 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time and may be updated more frequently when geomagnetic storms are forecast. During this beta period, the design, community calculations and automated features may continue to be adjusted as the new tool is tested.
BETA: Forecast presentation and automated community information are currently being tested and may change as the system is refined.
