AuroraMeteo

Jiangsu, ChinaMagnetic latitude 26.5°Population 3,290,9189 m above sea level

Can you see the northern lights in Changzhou?

The aurora is practically never visible from Changzhou. At 26.5° magnetic latitude, even the strongest storms rarely reach this far from the poles.

Right now

Quiet right now (Kp 1.7).

Kp 1.7 · 443 km/s · Bz -1.3

Updates every minute while this page is open.

Tonight in one minute

Not tonight

  • Solar activity Too weak: Kp 2.7 expected, 9+ needed here.
  • Sky Overcast (88% cloud).
  • Darkness Dark from 18:19 to 05:12.

What to do: Not tonight — your next chance is shown just below.

Tonight

Updated 03:09 local time

0/100

Unlikely

Best around 03:00. Forecast max Kp 2.7 (this place needs 9+), average cloud 88%.

Dark enough
18:19 – 05:12
Sunset
17:26 · sunrise 06:05
Moon
33% · ↑ 12:05 · ↓ 21:58
Kp neededKp index: a 0–9 measure of geomagnetic activity. The higher it is, the further from the poles the aurora reaches.
Kp 9+
Look towards
north (356°)
Sat 17 Oct0Kp 1.7 · cloud 79%
Sun 18 Oct0Kp 1.7 · cloud 95%
061218Sun 18061218Mon 19061218Tue 20
Chance (0–100) Dark enough Cloud cover

Score = activity (NOAA Kp and OVATION) × clear sky (MET Norway) × darkness × moonlight. Methodology

Seeing it right now?

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What you would see from Changzhou

Facing north. Bands show where the aurora sits at two activity levels.

10°20°30°45° Even at Kp 9 the aurora stays below the horizon here. WNW 296° NW 311° NW 326° NNW 341° N 356° N 11° NNE 26° NE 41° NE 56°
Computed from the auroral oval position for each Kp level (lower border ~105 km, ray tops ~200 km up). Terrain not modelled for this place; the horizon is drawn flat.
KpWhat you seeLower edgeRay topsDistance to the aurora
2 Below the horizon -17° -15° 4,003 km
3 Below the horizon -15° -14° 3,781 km
4 Below the horizon -14° -13° 3,558 km
5 Below the horizon -13° -12° 3,336 km
6 Below the horizon -12° -10° 3,114 km
7 Below the horizon -11° -9° 2,891 km
8 Below the horizon -10° -8° 2,669 km
9 Below the horizon -9° -6° 2,446 km
Angles above the horizon. Terrain in the look direction is taken into account where modelled.

The Kp scale in plain words

Kp is a 0–9 score for how strongly the Earth's magnetic field is being shaken by the solar wind. The higher it goes, the further from the poles the northern lights reach. Kp 0–2 is a quiet night; Kp 5 and above is a geomagnetic storm.

  1. Kp 0–2 Quiet Only under the auroral oval: northern Norway, Swedish and Finnish Lapland, Iceland, Alaska, northern Canada.
  2. Kp 3 Unsettled next 24 h Bright in the Arctic; low on the horizon in central Scandinavia and southern Iceland.
  3. Kp 4 Active Overhead in the Arctic; low in the north from southern Norway, Sweden, Finland and northern Scotland.
  4. Kp 5 Minor storm (G1) Scotland, southern Scandinavia, the Baltic states, the northern US states and southern Canada.
  5. Kp 6 Moderate storm (G2) Northern England, Denmark, northern Germany and Poland, the US Midwest — often clearer in photos than to the eye.
  6. Kp 7 Strong storm (G3) Most of the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czechia; red glow in photos from France and the northern Alps.
  7. Kp 8 Severe storm (G4) Central Europe to the eye; red sky in photos from northern Italy, Spain, the Balkans and Turkey's Black Sea coast.
  8. Kp 9 Extreme storm (G5) Seen across Europe and the US; in photos as far south as the Mediterranean, Turkey and North Africa (May 2024).

Light pollution

City sky. City lights hide all but the brightest displays. Plan to leave the urban area.

Estimate from NASA VIIRS night-light data (sky-glow model within 50 km). Check access and private land before you go.

Hills and mountains

Terrain is not modelled for this place.

From elevation data (AWS Terrain Tiles) along seven lines of sight up to 30 km.

Best months to see the aurora in Changzhou

Share of nights 2005–2025 that were dark, active enough here and mostly clear.

Activity of Kp 9+ or more is too rare here for monthly odds to be meaningful. The table still shows how often nights are clear and dark.

0%10% July: 0% Jul August: 0% Aug September: 0% Sept October: 0% Oct November: 0% Nov December: 0% Dec January: 0% Jan February: 0% Feb March: 0% Mar April: 0% Apr May: 0% May June: 0% Jun
All years Near solar maximum Near solar minimum
MonthGood nightsClear nightsDarknessLow / high
September 0% 53% 9.8 h 20° / 29°C
October 0% 59% 10.6 h 13° / 24°C
November 0% 61% 11.5 h 7° / 17°C
December 0% 67% 11.9 h 0° / 10°C
January 0% 57% 11.8 h -1° / 8°C
February 0% 50% 11.0 h 0° / 10°C
March 0% 53% 10.3 h 4° / 16°C
April 0% 50% 9.0 h 10° / 22°C
Good night = darkness + activity at this place's Kp level + night-time satellite cloud ≤ 70%. GFZ Kp, NASA POWER (CERES), 1° grid. Methodology

Practical information

Nearest airport
Changzhou Benniu International Airport (CZX) · 23 km
Sunan Shuofang International Airport (WUX) · 55 km
Typical low / high in January
-1° / 8°C
What to wear
Below freezing at night: thermal layers, a warm jacket, hat, gloves and winter boots. Full clothing guide

Questions and answers

What Kp do you need to see the aurora in Changzhou?

The aurora is practically never visible from Changzhou. At 26.5° magnetic latitude, even the strongest storms rarely reach this far from the poles.

Which way should I look for the aurora in Changzhou?

Around Changzhou the aurora is often right overhead. Start by facing north, but look up and all around — in strong storms it can fill the whole sky and even appear behind you.

When is the aurora season in Changzhou?

Changzhou gets dark enough for the aurora all year round, though the long winter nights give the most hours to watch.

Is there much light pollution in Changzhou?

City lights hide all but the brightest displays. Plan to leave the urban area.

Also covered by this forecast

Villages and districts around Changzhou share its forecast: within a few kilometres the sky, the Kp needed and the best direction are the same.