The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is a breathtaking natural phenomenon that occasionally graces the night skies over Britain. Witnessing this spectacle is an unforgettable experience. With AuroraWatch UK, you can keep an eye on geomagnetic activity and receive alerts when there's a possibility of seeing the aurora from the UK. These alerts are triggered by changes in the AuroraWatch status level, which indicates the likelihood of aurora visibility.
Stay updated with the current alert status, review the recent history of the last 24 hours, and access a 30-minute forecast model provided by the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). If you encounter any issues, please feel free to email [email protected].
Please note that AuroraWatch UK is not a forecasting app. Your phone settings, such as Battery Saver, can restrict push notifications, potentially narrowing or closing the aurora alert window. To ensure you receive alerts, check your phone's Settings/Notifications/App settings to confirm that notifications for AuroraWatch UK are enabled.
The app does not send historical alerts. If your phone is off or unable to connect to the internet when the status changes but returns to a lower level before the next data update, you will not receive an alert. Additionally, there is a necessary delay before alerts are sent as the data needs to 'settle down', as recommended by Lancaster University.
Lancaster University, which provides the alerts, typically uses data from their Lancaster magnetometer, although they also have others, including one in Shetland. Since the Shetland data is not usually used, the alerts may be more 'pessimistic', which is suitable for those in England but less so for those further north.
The AuroraWatch UK (Android) app is developed and maintained by Smallbouldering Projects and is not an 'Official' app. The alerts data is sourced from Lancaster University, UK, using information from the SAMNET and/or AuroraWatchNet magnetometer networks. For more details, 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, allowing you to receive additional notifications if the status value (nT) rises further after a red alert.
