# Northern lights in Murmansk tonight and this season

> Northern lights in Murmansk now: NOAA aurora probability, the Kp index the city needs (Kp 1) and the dark-sky season dates, calculated from the sun.

Canonical: https://kpforecast.com/murmansk/
Updated on: 2026-10-09

Aurora probability over Murmansk right now from NOAA, the Kp index the city needs by geomagnetic latitude, the nights that get dark enough, calculated from the sun, and whether any guided tour passes the catalogue filter.

## In short

Northern lights in Murmansk need a Kp index of 1 or more, because the city sits at 64.9° N geomagnetic latitude and NOAA's rule of thumb puts the edge of the auroral oval at about 66° for Kp 0, 2° closer to the equator per Kp level. Fully dark nights in Murmansk (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 15 September to 27 March. No guided aurora tour from Murmansk passes the catalogue filter of 4.3 stars and 20 reviews yet. The aurora probability over the city right now, from NOAA's OVATION model, is on this page and refreshes every 15 minutes.

## Key points

- Kp needed in Murmansk: 1 or more, from 64.9° N geomagnetic latitude (WMM2025 dipole)
- Fully dark nights in Murmansk (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 15 September to 27 March.
- Aurora probability over Murmansk from NOAA OVATION, refreshed every 15 minutes with the fetch time shown
- No guided aurora tour in the catalogue passes the filter yet
- Kp forecast for the next 3 days in 3-hour slots, from NOAA SWPC

## Aurora over Murmansk right now

Live figures on the web page, refreshed every 15 minutes.

## The Kp index Murmansk needs

Murmansk lies at 69.0° N, which is 64.9° N geomagnetic latitude on the WMM2025 dipole. NOAA's viewing tips put the edge of the auroral oval at about 66° geomagnetic for Kp 0 and move it about 2° closer to the equator with each Kp level, down to 48° at Kp 9. So the oval reaches Murmansk from Kp 1, the threshold the cards on this site compare with the Kp measured right now. NOAA also notes that aurora can often be observed hundreds of kilometres equatorward of the oval's edge, so a bright display can show low on the northern horizon one Kp level earlier.

## Kp forecast for the next 3 days

Live figures on the web page, refreshed every 15 minutes.

## When the sky over Murmansk is dark enough

The aurora needs a dark sky as much as it needs Kp, and darkness is a matter of latitude and date. Fully dark nights in Murmansk (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 15 September to 27 March. From 13 April to 29 August the sky never gets darker than nautical twilight, so only a strong display shows, low on the horizon. The polar night lasts from 2 December to 10 January, 40 days with the sun below the horizon all day, when the aurora can show in the afternoon. The midnight sun lasts from 21 May to 21 July, 62 days. Dates are an own calculation from the sun's declination for the latitude of Murmansk, with the US Naval Observatory definitions of twilight, and can be a day off at the edges. Clouds and moonlight are the other half of the question: the home page shows the moon phase for each of the next 27 days.

## Why Russia for the northern lights

Murmansk is the largest city north of the Arctic Circle and sits under the oval, with the Teriberka coast on the Barents Sea as the classic viewing spot. Entry rules for many visitors have changed in recent years, so the page keeps to the data and leaves planning to the reader.
[All places in Russia with their odds tonight](/russia/).

## Murmansk on the Kp scale

Murmansk is the only place in Russia on this site. The Locations page ranks all 33 destinations by the Kp they need, from Kp 1 inside the auroral zone to Kp 9 at the edge of NOAA's rule.

## Northern lights tours in Murmansk

No guided aurora tour from Murmansk passes the catalogue filter of 4.3 stars and 20 reviews yet. The aurora probability above does not depend on tours: a dark spot outside the lights of the town is the first thing to find.

## Murmansk in numbers for northern lights planning

| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Coordinates | 69.0° N, 33.1° E | site destination list |
| Geomagnetic latitude | 64.9° N (WMM2025) | NOAA NCEI, own calculation |
| Kp needed | 1+ | NOAA rule of thumb |
| Fully dark nights | 15 September to 27 March | own calculation (Meeus), USNO definitions |
| Too bright for faint aurora | 13 April to 29 August | own calculation (Meeus), USNO definitions |
| Polar night | 2 December to 10 January, 40 days | own calculation (Meeus), USNO definitions |
| Midnight sun | 21 May to 21 July, 62 days | own calculation (Meeus), USNO definitions |
| Tours that pass the filter | none yet, counted 9 Oct 2026 | booking catalogue |

## Frequently asked questions

### What Kp index do you need to see the northern lights in Murmansk?

Kp 1 or more. Murmansk sits at 64.9° N geomagnetic latitude, and NOAA's rule of thumb puts the edge of the auroral oval there from Kp 1. A brighter display can show low on the northern horizon one level earlier.

### When is the best time to see the northern lights in Murmansk?

Fully dark nights in Murmansk (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 15 September to 27 March. The darkest skies of the month are the 5 nights around the new moon. The home page shows the moon for each of the next 27 days.

### Can you see the northern lights in Murmansk in summer?

From 13 April to 29 August the sky never gets darker than nautical twilight, so only a strong display shows, low on the horizon.

### How many northern lights tours are there in Murmansk?

None in the catalogue passes the filter of 4.3 stars and 20 reviews yet, so this page shows the probability and the Kp needed for Murmansk without tours.

### How does Murmansk compare with other northern lights destinations?

Murmansk is the only place in Russia on this site and needs Kp 1 or more. The Locations page ranks all 33 destinations by the Kp they need, from Kp 1 inside the auroral zone to Kp 9 at the edge of NOAA's rule.

### Why does the Murmansk aurora probability on this page change?

It comes from NOAA's OVATION model, a forecast for the next 30 to 90 minutes, which this site re-reads at most every 15 minutes. The Kp needed, 1, does not change: it is geography.

## Sources

- [NOAA SWPC, tips on viewing the aurora](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/tips-viewing-aurora), checked on 2026-10-09
- [NOAA NCEI, World Magnetic Model 2025, geomagnetic pole](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/world-magnetic-model), checked on 2026-10-09
- [NOAA SWPC, OVATION aurora forecast model](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast), checked on 2026-10-09
- [US Naval Observatory, rise, set and twilight definitions](https://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/RST_defs), checked on 2026-10-09