Netherlands301 places
Northern Lights in Netherlands: Where and When to See Them
In Netherlands the aurora appears only during geomagnetic storms, low on the horizon. The best chances are near Groningen, from about Kp 6.3.
Where the aurora is easiest to see
| Place | Region | Kp needed | Kp for photos | Magnetic latitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groningen | Groningen | 6.3 | 4.7 | 49.6° |
| Leeuwarden | Friesland | 6.3 | 4.7 | 49.5° |
| Drachten | Friesland | 6.3 | 4.7 | 49.4° |
| Sneek | Friesland | 6.3 | 4.7 | 49.4° |
| Delfzijl | Groningen | 6.3 | 4.7 | 49.7° |
| Veendam | Groningen | 6.3 | 4.7 | 49.4° |
| Dokkum | Friesland | 6.3 | 4.7 | 49.7° |
| Alkmaar | North Holland | 6.7 | 5 | 48.9° |
Largest cities
Storm watch: can you see the northern lights from Netherlands?
Rarely, but yes. In strong storms (about Kp 4.7 or more) the red upper layer of the aurora, 300–400 km up, rises above the northern horizon of Netherlands. Phone and camera sensors pick it up far more easily than the eye.
…
| Place | Kp for photos | Kp for the eye | Photo nights since 1995 | Last time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groningen | 4.7 | 6.3 | 1,004 | Oct 2026 |
| Leeuwarden | 4.7 | 6.3 | 1,002 | Oct 2026 |
| Drachten | 4.7 | 6.3 | 1,004 | Oct 2026 |
| Sneek | 4.7 | 6.3 | 1,002 | Oct 2026 |
| Delfzijl | 4.7 | 6.3 | 1,005 | Oct 2026 |
| Veendam | 4.7 | 6.3 | 1,007 | Oct 2026 |
| Dokkum | 4.7 | 6.3 | 1,004 | Oct 2026 |
| Alkmaar | 5 | 6.7 | 694 | Oct 2026 |
| Hoorn | 5 | 6.7 | 694 | Oct 2026 |
| Assen | 5 | 6.7 | 698 | Oct 2026 |
| Den Helder | 5 | 6.7 | 694 | Oct 2026 |
| Hardenberg | 5 | 6.7 | 701 | Oct 2026 |
When it was last seen from Netherlands
Nights with enough activity for photos from Groningen during darkness (Kp 4.7 or more):
- 10 October 2026 · Kp 7.0
- 4 October 2026 · Kp 5.7
- 7 September 2026 · Kp 4.7
- 3 July 2026 · Kp 5.3
- 5 June 2026 · Kp 5.0
- 15 May 2026 · Kp 6.0
- 4 May 2026 · Kp 4.7
- 30 April 2026 · Kp 4.7
- 20 April 2026 · Kp 4.7
- 18 April 2026 · Kp 4.7
How to catch it from Netherlands
- Watch the forecast: you need about Kp 4.7 or more — a strong to severe storm. These arrive a day or two after a big eruption on the Sun, so there is usually some warning.
- Get away from city lights and find an open view to the north: a coast, a hill or a field. The glow sits low over the horizon.
- Use your phone's night mode or a camera on a tripod (3–15 s). Check the photo: a red or pink sky to the north is the aurora.
- The best hours are usually 22:00–02:00 local time, but in big storms it can start right after dusk.
- Kp 0–2 Quiet Only under the auroral oval: northern Norway, Swedish and Finnish Lapland, Iceland, Alaska, northern Canada.
- Kp 3 Unsettled Bright in the Arctic; low on the horizon in central Scandinavia and southern Iceland.
- Kp 4 Active Overhead in the Arctic; low in the north from southern Norway, Sweden, Finland and northern Scotland.
- Kp 5 Minor storm (G1) camera in Groningen Scotland, southern Scandinavia, the Baltic states, the northern US states and southern Canada.
- Kp 6 Moderate storm (G2) eye in Groningen Northern England, Denmark, northern Germany and Poland, the US Midwest — often clearer in photos than to the eye.
- Kp 7 Strong storm (G3) Most of the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czechia; red glow in photos from France and the northern Alps.
- 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.
- 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).
Live sightings
Where visitors are reporting the aurora right now. A place climbs with every report and drops again as the reports age.
- …
Latest reports
Regions of Netherlands
- South HollandKp 7+ · 26
- North HollandKp 6.7+ · 26
- North BrabantKp 7.3+ · 19
- GelderlandKp 7+ · 20
- UtrechtKp 7+ · 10
- OverijsselKp 6.7+ · 13
- LimburgKp 7.3+ · 11
- GroningenKp 6.3+ · 3
- FlevolandKp 6.7+ · 4
- FrieslandKp 6.3+ · 7
- DrentheKp 6.7+ · 4
- ZeelandKp 7.3+ · 4
Practical information for Netherlands
- Emergency number
- 112
- Access to land
- There is no general right to roam; many nature areas (e.g. Veluwe, many Staatsbosbeheer terrains) may only be entered between sunrise and sunset or ban off-path access at night, and rangers fine night-time entry and verge parking — check signs at each area.
- Winter driving
- Winter tyres are not mandatory in the Netherlands, and studded tyres are banned. Live traffic info: Rijkswaterstaat Verkeersinformatie (https://www.rwsverkeersinfo.nl). Road conditions
- Drones
- The Netherlands applies the EU EASA drone framework (operator registration with RDW required for drones of 250 g or more or with a camera); oversight: Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT), https://www.ilent.nl.
- Official space-weather service
- KNMI Ruimteweer (space weather alert service)
- Weather service
- KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute)
- Certified dark-sky places
- De Boschplaat (Terschelling) · Lauwersmeer National Park
KNMI runs a 24/7 government-mandated space weather alert service (ruimteweeralarm).
Dwingelderveld is not a DarkSky International certified place.
Compiled from official government, road-authority and weather-service sources. Rules change; check them before you travel.