Northern lights in Reykjavik tonight and this season

1Aurora over Reykjavik right now

2The Kp index Reykjavik needs

Reykjavik lies at 64.1° N, which is 68.8° 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. At 68.8° N Reykjavik is inside the oval before any storm begins, so the cards on this site use Kp 1, the lowest value they show. 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.

3Kp forecast for the next 3 days

Data: NOAA SWPC. Slots before now are NOAA estimates, the rest are predicted values.

4When the sky over Reykjavik 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 Reykjavik (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 2 September to 9 April. From 27 April to 15 August the sky never gets darker than nautical twilight, so only a strong display shows, low on the horizon. Dates are an own calculation from the sun's declination for the latitude of Reykjavik, 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.

5Why Iceland for the northern lights

The whole of Iceland lies under the auroral oval, so the Kp needed is the lowest on the scale and the real question is cloud. Reykjavik has the flights and the tours, but its lights hide faint displays: most operators drive out of the city. Akureyri in the north sits further from the Atlantic fronts.

All places in Iceland with their odds tonight.

6Reykjavik compared with the other places in Iceland

The table lists both places in Iceland on this site. Both need Kp 1.

7Northern lights tours in Reykjavik

32 guided tours from Reykjavik pass the catalogue filter (at least 4.3 stars, 20 reviews and the aurora in the title), from 33 USD per person. Prices are starting prices read from the booking catalogue and change with the date. All tours in the country.

Perlan Admission - Volcano & Ice Cave, Northern Lights Experience4.7 · 2,463 reviews · 2 hfrom 59 USDNorthern Lights Small-Group Tour with Hot Chocolate & Photos4.7 · 2,208 reviews · 4 hfrom 163 USDNorthern Lights Midnight Adventure Small-Group from Reykjavík4.8 · 997 reviews · 3 hfrom 133 USD3-Day Ice Cave, South Coast, Golden Circle and Northern Lights4.9 · 683 reviews · 72 hfrom 999 USDNorthern Lights Cruise from Downtown Reykjavik4.5 · 635 reviews · 2 hfrom 105 USDReykjavik Northern Lights Tour with Pro Aurora Photos Small Group4.9 · 540 reviews · 3 hfrom 159 USD