Live aurora forecast
Northern lights in Tórshavn tonight and this season
Aurora probability over Tórshavn 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 Tórshavn need a Kp index of 1 or more, because the city sits at 64.4° 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 Tórshavn (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 27 August to 15 April. No guided aurora tour from Tórshavn 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 Tórshavn: 1 or more, from 64.4° N geomagnetic latitude (WMM2025 dipole)
- Fully dark nights in Tórshavn (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 27 August to 15 April.
- Aurora probability over Tórshavn 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
On this page
1Aurora over Tórshavn right now
Data: NOAA SWPC, fetched 14:10 UTC. Aurora probability by destination from the NOAA OVATION model, forecast for 9 Oct, 15:10 UTC. Aurora also needs a dark and clear sky. Kp needed: NOAA puts the edge of the auroral oval at about 66° geomagnetic latitude for Kp 0, 2° closer to the equator per Kp level. Geomagnetic latitude from the WMM2025 dipole pole (NOAA NCEI).
2The Kp index Tórshavn needs
Tórshavn lies at 62.0° N, which is 64.4° 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 Tórshavn 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.
3Kp forecast for the next 3 days
| UTC | Fri 9 Oct | Sat 10 Oct | Sun 11 Oct | Mon 12 Oct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00-03 | 4.00 | 4.67 G1 | 3.00 | |
| 03-06 | 3.67 | 5.67 G2 | ||
| 06-09 | 3.00 | 4.33 | ||
| 09-12 | 3.00 | 3.00 | ||
| 12-15 | 4.67 G1 | 1.67 | 2.67 | |
| 15-18 | 5.00 G1 | 2.33 | 2.33 | |
| 18-21 | 6.00 G2 | 2.67 | 2.00 | |
| 21-00 | 5.67 G2 | 2.67 | 2.67 |
Data: NOAA SWPC. Slots before now are NOAA estimates, the rest are predicted values.
4When the sky over Tórshavn 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 Tórshavn (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 27 August to 15 April. From 4 May to 8 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 Tórshavn, 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 Faroe Islands for the northern lights
Tórshavn lies at 62° north in the middle of the North Atlantic. The geomagnetic latitude is good enough for Kp 1, but the islands have one of the cloudiest skies in Europe, so clear nights are the scarce resource rather than the Kp.
6Tórshavn on the Kp scale
Tórshavn is the only place in Faroe Islands 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.
7Northern lights tours in Tórshavn
No guided aurora tour from Tórshavn 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.
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Coordinates | 62.0° N, 6.8° W | site destination list |
| Geomagnetic latitude | 64.4° N (WMM2025) | NOAA NCEI, own calculation |
| Kp needed | 1+ | NOAA rule of thumb |
| Fully dark nights | 27 August to 15 April | own calculation (Meeus), USNO definitions |
| Too bright for faint aurora | 4 May to 8 August | own calculation (Meeus), USNO definitions |
| Tours that pass the filter | none yet, counted 9 Oct 2026 | booking catalogue |
Source: NOAA NCEI, World Magnetic Model 2025, geomagnetic pole, checked on 9 Oct 2026.
Latest northern lights posts
Frequently asked questions
What Kp index do you need to see the northern lights in Tórshavn?
Kp 1 or more. Tórshavn sits at 64.4° 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 Tórshavn?
Fully dark nights in Tórshavn (sun 18° below the horizon) run from 27 August to 15 April. 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 Tórshavn in summer?
From 4 May to 8 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 Tórshavn?
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 Tórshavn without tours.
How does Tórshavn compare with other northern lights destinations?
Tórshavn is the only place in Faroe Islands 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 Tórshavn 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 (4)
Sources
- NOAA SWPC, tips on viewing the aurora, checked on 9 Oct 2026
- NOAA NCEI, World Magnetic Model 2025, geomagnetic pole, checked on 9 Oct 2026
- NOAA SWPC, OVATION aurora forecast model, checked on 9 Oct 2026
- US Naval Observatory, rise, set and twilight definitions, checked on 9 Oct 2026
Written and maintained by the Kp Forecast editorial team. Independent site, not a space weather agency. Data: NOAA SWPC.
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