Northern Lights in the UK in November 2026: When Are the Best Chances?
Northern Lights in the UK — November 2026 at a glance
November has the longest evening darkness of the autumn so far in the UK — the clocks are already on GMT and full darkness arrives at around 6pm, even in Shetland. It does not raise the odds of a geomagnetic storm, but it gives you more hours in which to catch one.
| Question | Quick answer |
|---|---|
| What Kp do I need? | Kp 3–4 for Shetland and the far north Highlands; Kp 5 for Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle; Kp 6–7 for Manchester, Yorkshire and Wales; Kp 7–9 (rare) for London and the south |
| When is it dark enough? | Full astronomical darkness from about 18:30 GMT on 1 November and about 18:00 GMT by 30 November across most of the UK |
| Which nights are darkest? | Around the new moon on 9 November (roughly 3–15 November); the full supermoon on 24 November brightens the sky |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Live radar: is there a chance of northern lights tonight in the UK?
- Why November works: the longest dark evenings so far
- How much darkness you get in November, city by city
- Moon phases in November 2026: the best dark nights
- What Kp you need and where in the UK
- Space weather outlook for November: what can and cannot be predicted
- Common mistakes when chasing the aurora in November
- FAQ: northern lights in the UK in November
- Sources
- Read also
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Northern lights in the UK in November 2026 come down to two things: a real geomagnetic storm and a clear, dark sky at the moment it happens. November gives you the second part more generously than any month so far this season — long evenings, no clock change to plan around and a new moon early in the month. Below: how much darkness you get by city, the darkest nights of the month, what Kp you need where you live, and how to read the live radar before you go out.
Live radar: is there a chance of northern lights tonight in the UK?
The Kp index changes every three hours, so everything else on this page is background — the radar is what to check before you head out. It shows the current Kp index and solar wind activity. For UK-specific alert levels, AuroraWatch UK (Lancaster University) runs a free alert service, and the Met Office space weather forecast gives a UK-wide outlook. The log below is updated daily with NOAA SWPC data.
Northern Lights – live radar and parameters
Parameters refresh automatically. The local aurora chance is calculated for your location (GPS or city).
Aurora oval radar – Northern Hemisphere
If the animation does not load, a static image will be shown.
Conditions assessment
The indicators consider your location, the local aurora chance and whether it is dark.
Kp (3h)
Kp (1 min)
Bz (GSM)
Bt (IMF)
Speed
Density
Temperature
Why November works: the longest dark evenings so far
November does not have the equinox boost that lifts geomagnetic activity around late September and March (the Russell–McPherron effect). What it has is darkness. With the clocks already on GMT since 25 October, the sun sets before 16:30 across Scotland at the start of the month and before 16:00 by the end of it. That means usable dark hours begin while you are still awake and free — a real advantage when a storm can flare up and fade within an evening.
The trade-off is weather. November is one of the cloudier, wetter months in Scotland and northern England, so a good Kp reading only matters if your local cloud forecast shows breaks. Checking the cloud map alongside the radar is not optional this month.
PREVIOUS MONTH
Northern Lights in the UK in October 2026: When Are the Best Chances?
Nights lengthen fast and the clocks go back — October is a solid transitional month. What Kp you need, which regions qualify, and the live radar.
How much darkness you get in November, city by city
| Place | Sunset 1 Nov | Full darkness 1 Nov | Sunset 30 Nov | Full darkness 30 Nov |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lerwick (Shetland) | 16:08 | 18:31 | 15:07 | 17:47 |
| Inverness | 16:31 | 18:43 | 15:39 | 18:04 |
| Edinburgh | 16:32 | 18:38 | 15:44 | 18:02 |
| Manchester | 16:36 | 18:35 | 15:54 | 18:02 |
| London | 16:33 | 18:26 | 15:55 | 17:56 |
Times in GMT, calculated for each city (full darkness = end of astronomical twilight, sun 18° below the horizon). Local hills and horizon can shift them by a few minutes.
In practice a faint aurora on the northern horizon can show up in a camera well before full darkness, about an hour after sunset. By the end of November, the sun is above the horizon in Shetland for only about six and a half hours a day.
Moon phases in November 2026: the best dark nights
| Phase | Date and time (GMT) | What it means for the aurora |
|---|---|---|
| Last quarter | 1 November, 20:29 | Moon rises late — evenings are dark |
| New moon | 9 November, 07:02 | Darkest skies of the month, roughly 3–15 November |
| First quarter | 17 November, 11:48 | Moon sets around midnight — the late night is dark |
| Full moon (supermoon) | 24 November, 14:53 | Bright sky all night; only stronger displays stand out |
Moon phase times: U.S. Naval Observatory and our astronomical calculations.
If you can only plan one weekend, the 6–8 or 13–15 November weekends give the darkest evening skies. Around the full supermoon on 24 November a weaker aurora is easily washed out, though a strong storm can still be photographed. Full details of the month’s sky are in our guide to sky events in November 2026.
The Moon is the limiter you can plan around, because its phases are known years ahead. Exact new and full Moon dates for every month are in the Moon phases 2026 calendar.
GUIDE
Moon Phases 2026
Moon Phases 2026: check dates, observation tips and related guides for planning night-sky photography, eclipses and other sky phenomena.
What Kp you need and where in the UK
| Region | Kp for a chance near the horizon | Kp for a clear, obvious display |
|---|---|---|
| Shetland and the far north Highlands (Caithness, Sutherland) | 2–3 | 5 |
| Cairngorms and Aberdeenshire | 3–4 | 6 |
| Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Northumberland | 4–5 | 7 |
| Manchester, Yorkshire, the Midlands | 5–6 | 8 |
| North Wales (Snowdonia) | 5–6 | 8 |
| London, southern England, south Wales | 6–7 | 9 (in practice only during a G5-class storm) |
An orientative guide, not a forecast for a specific night. Visibility depends on your geomagnetic latitude, local horizon and cloud cover.
Longer nights do not change where the aurora can be seen — that still depends on latitude. For one of the most reliable realistic targets outside Shetland, see our Cairngorms guide with its own live radar.
GUIDE
Scotland Northern Lights Live – Cairngorms Radar and Forecast
Live aurora radar for the Cairngorms plus the Kp you actually need at Scottish latitude, official Dark Sky Park spots, and why your phone sees more than your eyes.
Space weather outlook for November: what can and cannot be predicted
No one can say weeks ahead on which November night a storm will arrive. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center 27-day outlook issued on 5 October 2026 flagged possible Kp 5 activity around 31 October — a signal worth watching, not a promise. Because the Sun rotates roughly every 27 days, a recurring high-speed solar wind stream can sometimes return about four weeks later, so late November is worth an extra look if the end of October turns out active. Treat this as a pattern, not a forecast: the reliable warning still comes from the live radar, usually with hours rather than days of notice.
Common mistakes when chasing the aurora in November
- Counting on the calendar instead of the radar: long nights mean more chances to catch a storm, not a higher chance of one happening.
- Ignoring the moon: around the 24 November supermoon the sky stays bright all night; plan photo trips for the first half of the month if you can.
- Checking Kp but not cloud: a promising Kp is worthless under overcast skies — look at the cloud forecast for your exact location.
- Waiting until late at night: in November darkness starts early, and activity can peak in the evening — be ready from about 18:00.
- Expecting Iceland-style curtains: even in Shetland or the Cairngorms, the typical view is a glow or arc on the northern horizon, often clearer in a camera than to the eye.
Cloud cover cancels more aurora nights than a low Kp does, so check the sky before you drive anywhere using the live storm and rain radar.
GUIDE
Where is the storm now? Live storm and rain radar
Check where storms are now. Use the live rain radar, rain and thunder forecast, wind map and lightning detection view for Poland.
FAQ: northern lights in the UK in November
Is November a good month for the northern lights in the UK?
Yes for darkness, neutral for activity. November has no equinox boost, but the long, early evenings give you more hours in which to catch a storm when one happens.
What time does it get dark enough in November?
Full darkness arrives at about 18:30 GMT at the start of November and about 18:00 GMT by the end of the month across most of the UK; a faint aurora can show in a camera about an hour after sunset.
Which nights in November 2026 are best?
The darkest skies are around the new moon on 9 November, roughly from 3 to 15 November. Around the full supermoon on 24 November only stronger displays stand out.
What Kp do I need this November, and where?
As a guide: Kp 3–4 for Shetland and the far north Highlands, Kp 5 for Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle, Kp 6–7 for Manchester, Yorkshire and Wales, and Kp 7–9 (rare) for London and the south.
Can a storm in November be predicted in advance?
Only roughly. NOAA’s 27-day outlook gives a general signal, but the reliable warning comes from the live Kp and solar wind data, usually hours ahead.
Where do I check tonight’s forecast?
The live radar at the top of this page shows the current Kp index and solar wind; AuroraWatch UK and the Met Office space weather forecast are useful UK-specific sources.
Sources
- NOAA SWPC — 27-day outlook (issued 5 October 2026)
- AuroraWatch UK — Lancaster University
- Met Office — space weather forecast
- U.S. Naval Observatory — Moon phases
- Sunset and twilight times: OndaTravel calculations for each city (astronomy-engine).
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