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Grand Est

Northern lights in Nancy tonight

Real-time aurora forecast for Nancy (Grand Est) - latitude 48.69° N, estimated Kp threshold 8.2.

Kp index
6.3
moderate
Hemispheric power
North35GW
South38GW

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

Seeing the northern lights from Nancy

Nancy, at 48.7° N, in the Lorraine basin, watches a northern horizon over the Lorraine plateau. Auroras become visible from Kp 6.5. The proximity of the Vosges to the south-east and the Lorraine forests to the north offer very dark observation points 40-60 km away. May 2024 produced red auroras from the Vosges heights.

Observation conditions in Nancy

Bortle 7 over Nancy. The Vosges (Bortle 3-4, 60-80 km east) and the Lorraine regional park (Bortle 4, 40 km north) are the best spots. Place Stanislas and the city centre are unsuitable. Winters are often cold but skies are crystal-clear under anticyclones, especially at Vosges altitude.

Recent auroras from Nancy

10-11 May 2024 (Kp 9): red aurora from the Vosges heights and the Lorraine plateaus. 24 March 2024 (Kp 8): confirmed sightings from the Donon. 5 November 2023 (Kp 7): faint aurora visible from the Sion-Vaudémont plateau.

Local conditions

Light pollution
Bortle 6 of 9
SQM 18.95 mag/arcsec²
Nearest darker sky
Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy
2 km · Bortle 3

Frequently asked questions

Can you see the northern lights from Nancy?
Yes, but rarely. Typically a Kp index of ≥ 8.2 is needed for the aurora to become visible from Nancy (latitude 48.7° 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 Nancy?
The approximate Kp threshold for Nancy is 8.2. Below that, auroras stay confined to high latitudes (Norway, Scotland). Above it, they gradually extend southward. A Kp of 9.2 gives a fair chance, 10.2 a strong one.
When is the best time to watch from Nancy?
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 Nancy offers better conditions?
Move at least 40-60 km north of Nancy to escape urban light pollution and gain 1-2 magnitudes of limiting magnitude.

Nearby cities

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Metz
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Strasbourg
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Mulhouse
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