There, the solar wind particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, causing it to glow which gives birth to the Northern lights. That causes solar wind particles stuck in the magnetosphere to flow along the field lines towards the polar regions of Earth. This rattling is observed by magnetometers like at the Leirvogur Magnetic Observatory. The solar wind causes Earth’s magnetic field to rattle. Auroras can then become very bright, colourful and dynamic. When the wind speed reaches this threshold, geomagnetic storms are very likely to occur.
The normal steady stream of the constant solar wind is roughly 300 km/s (186 mps), but the fast-moving solar wind, flowing from coronal holes in the solar corona, is usually between 500-800 km/s (300-500 mps). The solar wind speed is measured by the DSCOVR satellite 1.5 million kilometres from the Earth. The faster the solar wind is moving, the likelier you are to see an intense northern lights display. The solar wind is a stream of charged particles, mostly electrons and protons, flowing from the Sun. Please note that the KP-Index can’t predict the strength of the Northern Lights, but it is still a great indicator about what we can expect during our hunt. Most often caused by powerful coronal mass ejections.
Kp 8 – Severe storm – Bright, dynamic and colourful aurorae.Kp 7 – Strong storm – Bright, dynamic and colourful aurorae.Kp 6 – Moderate storm – Bright, dynamic and colourful aurora display.Kp 5 – Minor storm – Bright, constant and colourful aurora display, red and purple colours appear.Kp 4 – Active – Bright, constant and dynamic northern lights visible.Kp 3 – Unsettled – Bright auroras visible at zenith.Kp 2 – Quiet – Auroras readily visible and become brighter and more dynamic.
Kp 1 – Quiet – Aurora oval over Iceland, faint and quiet aurorae visible to the unaided eye low in the northern sky.Faint aurorae visible in photographs, low in the northern sky Kp 0 – Quiet – Aurora oval mostly to the north of Iceland.The index ranges from 0, for low activity, to 9, which means that an intense geomagnetic storm is under way. The faster the solar wind blows, the greater the turbulence. The KP-index describes the disturbance of the Earth’s magnetic field caused by the solar wind. “Script from Vedur/cloud coverage and KP index here:” If you want to get plenty of real live information about the magnetic field, solar wind speed, KP-Index we recommend - Ī less scientific but still very useful forecast is provided by the Icelandic Met Office. One of our all-time favourites is a website created from some of the best icelandic weather specialists. The Northern Lights shine at their best when the sky is dark and partly clear.Īll our guides have years of experience when it comes to reading and interpreting forecast systems for the Northern Lights and we will share some of the most useful sources and information with you here on this site. One of the key factors is of course the cloud coverage. solar wind speed and the strength of the disturbance that is caused by solar wind.
How strong and if the lights appear on the sky is dependent on many factors, e.g. Back in the day we gave gods and magical creatures credit for the Northern Lights, today we are using science to maximize our chances to see the natural phenomenon.
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