Aurora-Help.com

Space Weather Live Data.

Live data that is collected from NOAA satellites.

Explore features

Space Weather Dashboard

Live metrics and charts.

Source: --
Updated at: --:--
Bz (nT)
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Bt (nT)
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Speed (km/s)
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Density (p/cc)
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Boyle Index
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V×Bz
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Kp
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Temperature (°C) at Tesjoki
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Solar Wind

Solar wind summary will appear here.

Kp Index

Radio Blackout Risk: low

Kp index summary will appear here.

Local Magnetometer — Bx/Bz (nT) (24 hours)

Station:
Updated at --:-- · FMI IMAGE

Bx summary will appear here.

Live metrics and charts

Adjust the time zone at the bottom of the page.

Bz · DSCOVR
V×Bz: -- mV/m at --:--
Density — p/cc
Boyle index

27-Day Kp Index Forecast

Source: NOAA SWPC — Updated automatically from the 27-day outlook.

Solar Imagery

Latest Sunspot Image
Source: SOHO/NASA — Note: SOHO imagery may be temporarily unavailable due to upstream issues.

FMI Radar (live)

Layer:
Radar data © Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) — via OpenWMS. Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Solar & Lunar

Sun

Sunrise: --:--
Sunset: --:--
Altitude: --°
Azimuth: --°

Moon

Moonrise: --:--
Moonset: --:--
Phase: --%
Name: --

Twilight

Blue Hour: --:-- to --:--
Golden Hour: --:-- to --:--
Data for Helsinki, Finland · Updated at --:--

Weather Temperature

Latest weather observations from various locations in Finland.

Weather Temperature data table: time, location, temperature, and cloud coverage
Time Location Temperature (°C) Cloud Cover (%)

How to spot the Northern Lights

Simple rules and how to use these tools.

1) First rule: Weather

  • Darkness: Go after sunset and avoid light pollution.
  • Clouds: If it's cloudy, you will not see auroras.

Tip: The radar here shows rain/snow, not cloud cover. Use your preferred cloud forecast app/site.

2) Solar wind basics

  • Bz (IMF): Best when negative (southward). Aim for < -5 nT sustained.
  • Speed: Higher is better. > 500 km/s improves chances.
  • Density: Spikes can help the aurora brighten.

Check the live metrics and the Solar Wind chart in the dashboard.

3) Kp and Dst

  • Kp: Higher = wider visibility. Rough guide for Finland: Lapland ≥ 3, Central ≥ 4, South ≥ 5.
  • Dst: More negative = stronger storm. Watch for ≤ -50 nT.

4) Local magnetic activity

Use the Local Magnetometer — Bx mini chart. Fast swings often precede bright displays.

5) Precipitation radar

The FMI Radar helps avoid rain/snow. No echoes nearby is better for viewing. Radar does not show cloud cover.

Tips

  • Use the Time zone selector in the footer to view local times.
  • If data looks stale, refresh; timestamps indicate the last update.

What causes the Northern Lights?

Two explanations: one in simple terms and one more scientific.

Learn what causes auroras (Northern Lights): how solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) launch solar wind toward Earth, how long it takes to arrive, why some storms miss or have the wrong magnetic direction, and how interacting or "cannibal" CMEs can intensify geomagnetic storms.

In simple terms

The Sun sometimes blasts out gusts and clouds of charged gas. When those reach Earth and connect with our planet's magnetic field, energy flows into the upper atmosphere and makes oxygen and nitrogen glow as auroras.

  • On the Sun: Big eruptions (solar flares and CMEs) throw material into space. Fast solar wind streams from coronal holes also increase gusts.
  • Travel time: These space "gusts" usually take about 1–3 days to reach Earth (15–48 hours is common). Faster ones arrive sooner.
  • Misses or "wrong" direction: Sometimes the cloud flies past Earth, or its magnetic "compass" points the wrong way so it doesn't connect well—result: little or no show.
  • "Cannibal" solar storms: A faster eruption can catch a slower one, merging into a stronger hit at Earth, which can boost aurora chances.

More scientific

Solar activity launches coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and high-speed streams that carry plasma and an embedded interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). When the IMF's Bz component turns southward (negative), magnetic reconnection at Earth's dayside magnetopause efficiently transfers solar-wind energy into the magnetosphere.

  • Transit: CMEs propagate ~400–1200 km/s over 1 AU, arriving typically in ~1–3 days depending on speed and drag; co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs) from coronal holes have similar day-scale arrivals.
  • Coupling: Southward IMF (Bz < 0) enhances dayside reconnection; northward IMF (Bz > 0) suppresses coupling, reducing auroral activity despite elevated speed/density.
  • Misses and glancing blows: CME trajectories or widths can spare Earth or only graze it, yielding weak impacts.
  • Cannibal CMEs: Successive CMEs can interact; a faster CME may overtake a slower one, forming a complex ejecta/shock and producing stronger geomagnetic responses.
  • Emission: Injected particles and currents energize electrons that precipitate along field lines into the auroral oval, exciting atmospheric O (green ~557.7 nm; red ~630.0 nm) and N2 (purples), creating visible aurora.
Vibrant aurora borealis illuminating a starry night sky above a forest and reflective lake, showcasing the natural wonder of polar light phenomena.

Sarkjarvi, Uusimaa. Right-click to save or share.