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Normandie

Northern lights in Le Havre tonight

Real-time aurora forecast for Le Havre (Normandie) - latitude 49.49° N, estimated Kp threshold 7.8.

Kp index
6.3
moderate
Hemispheric power
North36GW
South38GW

Source: app.pulsar-si.com
Tonight in Le Havre
Very unlikely
Based on Kp 6.3 and Le Havre's latitude.

Seeing the northern lights from Le Havre

Le Havre, at 49.5° N, benefits from an Atlantic coastal position with an exceptional northern horizon over the English Channel. Auroras become visible from Kp 6.5-7. The May 2024 storm produced sharp red and green auroras over the Seine estuary, photographed from Étretat and the Sainte-Adresse beach.

Observation conditions in Le Havre

Bortle 8 in the urban core, but the Alabaster Coast (Étretat, Yport, Fécamp) drops to Bortle 4 some 30-40 km north, with a perfect horizon over the sea. The Montgeon forest (Bortle 6) is a closer option for moderate observations. The oceanic climate brings frequent cloud cover - check the cloud forecast the day before.

Recent auroras from Le Havre

10-11 May 2024 (Kp 9): exceptional aurora photographed from the Étretat cliffs, naked-eye green and red. 24 March 2024 (Kp 8): sightings from the Alabaster Coast. 5 November 2023 (Kp 7): confirmed observations over the estuary.

Local conditions

Light pollution
Bortle 7 of 9
SQM 18.61 mag/arcsec²
Nearest darker sky
Mare Rouge
2 km · Bortle 2

Frequently asked questions

Can you see the northern lights from Le Havre?
Yes, but rarely. Typically a Kp index of ≥ 7.8 is needed for the aurora to become visible from Le Havre (latitude 49.5° N). Major geomagnetic storms (Kp 8-9) that reach this latitude happen only a handful of times per 11-year solar cycle.
What Kp index is needed to see auroras from Le Havre?
The approximate Kp threshold for Le Havre is 7.8. Below that, auroras stay confined to high latitudes (Norway, Scotland). Above it, they gradually extend southward. A Kp of 8.8 gives a fair chance, 9.8 a strong one.
When is the best time to watch from Le Havre?
Auroras are a nighttime phenomenon, best observed between roughly 10 PM and 2 AM local time, when the geomagnetic pole is tilted towards the Earth's night side. In practice, peaks depend on when a coronal mass ejection arrives - activity can spike at any hour.
Where around Le Havre offers better conditions?
Move at least 40-60 km north of Le Havre to escape urban light pollution and gain 1-2 magnitudes of limiting magnitude.

Nearby cities

Normandie
Caen
Normandie
Rouen
Hauts-de-France
Amiens
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