Tool

Sky-Viewing Calculator

One combined score for aurora, meteor showers, and Milky Way conditions tonight, based on your location, the live Kp index, and the current moon phase.

Your Location

How the score works

Each factor is scored independently, then combined with aurora and active meteor showers weighted most heavily since they're the most time-sensitive events. A dark, moonless night with no aurora and no active shower can still score reasonably well for general stargazing and Milky Way viewing β€” this isn't only an aurora tool.

Aurora uses the same live Kp-vs-latitude model as the main dashboard. Meteor showers check today's date against the IMO's working list of annual showers and flag anything active, with extra weight near a shower's peak night. Milky Way core visibility is a simplified estimate based on month and hemisphere β€” the galactic core is only above the horizon during dark hours for part of the year. Moon brightness affects all three: less moonlight helps faint aurora, meteors, and the Milky Way alike.