The aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, is a breathtaking natural phenomenon that occasionally graces the night skies over the UK. Once witnessed, it leaves an indelible mark on the memory. AuroraWatch UK offers a unique service that monitors geomagnetic activity, providing alerts when conditions suggest the possibility of aurora visibility from the UK.
By subscribing to AuroraWatch UK, you can receive timely alerts about increases in geomagnetic activity. These alerts are triggered when the AuroraWatch status level changes, indicating the relative likelihood of witnessing an aurora in the UK. You can also check the current alert status for immediate information and review the recent history of the last 24 hours. Additionally, a 30-minute forecast model from the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) is available to help you plan your aurora viewing.
For any issues or queries, please email [email protected].
**Important Notes:**
- AuroraWatch is not a forecasting app; it monitors geomagnetic activity to provide real-time alerts.
- Phone settings such as Battery Saver may limit the receipt of push notifications, potentially narrowing or closing the aurora alert window. Ensure your phone's Settings/Notifications/App settings allow notifications from AuroraWatch UK.
- The app does not send alerts retrospectively. If your phone is off or unable to connect to the internet when the status changes, and the level returns to normal before the next data update, you will not receive an alert.
- There is a necessary delay before alerts are sent, as recommended by Lancaster University, to allow the data to 'settle down'.
- Alerts are primarily based on data from the Lancaster magnetometer, though other locations like Shetland are also monitored. However, since Shetland data is not typically used for alerts, the notifications may be more conservative, especially for those in England, but less so for those in more northern regions.
- The AuroraWatch UK (Android) app is developed and maintained by Smallbouldering Projects and is not an 'official' app. Alerts data is provided by Lancaster University, UK, using data from the SAMNET and/or AuroraWatchNet magnetometer networks. For more information, visit http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/introduction.
What's New in the Latest Version 1.97
Last updated on Oct 20, 2024
- Added some abbreviations to the About section.
- Included Bristol and Portsmouth as new locations.
- Introduced a new optional Alert Notification "Triggered by value" feature. This allows you to receive an additional notification when, for example, a red alert status value (nT) increases further.
