Northern lights in Toulouse tonight

Real-time aurora forecast for Toulouse (Occitanie) - latitude 43.60° N, estimated Kp threshold 9.

Kp index

3.0unsettled

Hemispheric power

North45GW

South48GW

Source: app.pulsar-si.com

Tonight in Toulouse

Very unlikely

Based on Kp 3.0 and Toulouse's latitude.

Seeing the northern lights from Toulouse

Toulouse lies at 43.6° N, near the southern limit for aurora observation in France. A Kp ≥ 8 is needed for the aurora to reach the region, which remains rare. The Garonne plain offers a completely open northern horizon, bordered to the north by the Lannemezan plateau rather than a mountain chain, which aids observation. During the May 2024 storm, the red aurora was clearly visible from the Place du Capitole.

Observation conditions in Toulouse

The Toulouse urban area is rated Bortle 7. Moving north-east, the Revel plateau (Bortle 4, 50 km) and the Grésigne forest (Bortle 3, 70 km) offer remarkable skies. The Haut-Languedoc regional park, 100 km away, provides one of the best skies in southern France (Bortle 2-3). Avoid the immediate south (light pollution from Muret and the airport) and prefer north or north-east.

Recent auroras from Toulouse

10-11 May 2024: spectacular red aurora visible from downtown Toulouse and the Tarn hills (Kp 9). Several amateur shots broadcast by France 3 Occitanie. 24 March 2024 (Kp 8): confirmed sightings from the Montagne Noire.

Local conditions

Light pollution

Bortle 7 of 9

SQM 18.40 mag/arcsec²

Nearest darker sky

Empalot

4 km · Bortle 6

Kp forecast, next 3 days

Source: app.pulsar-si.com. For an aurora to be visible from Toulouse, Kp must exceed 9.

Sun 05 Apr

2.8

Expected max Kp

Frequently asked questions

Can you see the northern lights from Toulouse?

Yes, but rarely. Typically a Kp index of ≥ 9 is needed for the aurora to become visible from Toulouse (latitude 43.6° 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 Toulouse?

The approximate Kp threshold for Toulouse is 9. Below that, auroras stay confined to high latitudes (Norway, Scotland). Above it, they gradually extend southward. A Kp of 10 gives a fair chance, 11 a strong one.

When is the best time to watch from Toulouse?

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 Toulouse offers better conditions?

Move at least 40-60 km north of Toulouse to escape urban light pollution and gain 1-2 magnitudes of limiting magnitude.

Nearby cities

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