AuroraWatch UK
* Please note that due to the popularity of this app and the limits on the free number of notifications imposed by Google you may not receive notifications, even if registered to do so.
The aurora borealis (or northern lights) is a spectacular natural phenomenon which can occasionally be seen in the night sky over Britain. Once seen, it is never forgotten. AuroraWatch UK allows you to monitor geomagnetic activity in real time, and will let you know when aurora may be visible from the UK. Push notifications alert you when an Aurora is likely.
This Android application has been developed with the help and support from the original AuroraWatch UK application on the iPhone, please see https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/aurorawatch-uk/id946141347?mt=8 for more information.
AuroraWatch UK is a free service run by Lancaster University, indicating the likelihood of an auroral sighting from within the UK.
This AuroraWatch UK Android app, developed in association with AuroraWatch UK, allows you to have this data at your fingertips on your phone, alerts as in on the iPhone sent directly to your phone.
Monitor the UK's geomagnetic activity in real-time.Aurora notifications (Yellow, Amber, and Red)See how likely an auroral sighting is.View last 24 hours data and plot's.The app is available on phones and tabletsA page of useful linksReport any sightings.
Category : Weather
Reviews (28)
The is good, lightweight. Gives alerts promptly. But its not that great and doesn't have more features that other apps in the market are offering. Also, the globe image doesn't load in the new age big screen phones "Error loading image".
Weirdly, unlike every other visual aid that uses the traffic light system to show Green as 'good' and Red as 'bad', this app uses Green for 'bad, you are not going to see the northern lights' and Red for 'good, you might see the northern lights'. Coupled with black text on a red back ground (hard to read even when not colour blind, use white on red), limited functionality, 'image not loading errors' on the graphs and broken links on 'UK sighting places', I immediately uninstalled it...
Not had a notification in ages then saw in the description that notifications are not guaranteed because of Google limits on free notifications. Either make a paid for option or don't offer notifications, it's no use to in effect say users 'might' get a notification.
I'd rate as "5" but the lack of a settable threshold results in a "3" since the lowest level isn't low enough for where we live in the UK. Why not allow the user to set the alert strength and not some pre-defined step?
Alerts come in a little late sometimes but I know there is a bigger issue with this beyond their control. however in recent weeks I have stopped getting the global picture at the end of the display
As others have found, the app appears to have stopped working and uninstall and reinstall didn't fix the issue.
This a good app but recently I no longer seem to receive any notifications. Hope you can fix it.
Had this app for years and very recently there was a massive aurora storm visible in Scotland and the app didn't even show 0.1% chance if it. Just delete it
Excellent App, the notifications and forecasting works well if combined with good weather and patience.
Suddenly won't open uninstalled and reinstalled. HTC U11 pro. Android 9 Tried again. Now working as before. ???
Great app, but images fail to open in full screen on CAT S60.
I love this when it's working, the globe map will not open for me and hasn't for quite a few months.
Cannot view map. The app just reports that it cannot open the image.
Used to be a great app but now it does not open even after reinstalling
Okay but having to unstall and re install evey time I go on it is not good.
It's an alright app that gives a good indication of when aurora will likely be visible from the UK. Only issue with this new version is that the menu icon does not work. I am therefore unable to customise the notification threshold. I have uninstalled and instead replaced with the app of the same name by "small bouldering project". Different layout but uses the same data and the menu works. EDIT: Within hours of posting my review I got a reply from the Dev informing me that they'd fixed the issue and updated the app. Lo and behold the menu button works as intended and I have amended my rating to reflect this. Thanks again aurora watch UK.
It's a great app to know when you're likely to see the aurora. Shame they can't change the weather to match! It would be nice to see the icon updated to meet modern android round standards.
Only basic hourly reports visible after installing. No menu available to select anything else
Changing to 5*'s!! Thank you john for the quick update - settings now opening fine as is the ovation model and I assume notifications will do too now that I can get into settings :)
Brilliant app, just hope I get to see the aurora in my lifetime
For me, the newest version has no options menu (there's the 3 dots on the right of title bar, but tapping it does nothing) - so I have no way of enabling the push notifications, if they still exist. Am assuming that's a bug. Samsung Galaxy A5 2017 SM-A520F on android 6.0.1
Ever since the update I cannot access the options menu, the three dots are still there but do nothing when pushed. I also get no notifications through even though they are set to yellow level or above and it was red for four hours last night!
It would be very useful if alerts could be shared, when one comes in I post on Facebook but if I could share a link from the app it would be ideal
Nice app. Works well especially now the ovation map link has been updated
A great app, but in a recent update you can't see the forecast map anymore, which is the main point to having the app. Also, the updates appear to be quite delayed. I would suggest a news alert service to give some more advanced warning, as often viewing points are a bit out the way.
A good app for what it does. Unfortunately, the alerts stroll in up to 2 hours after the alert happens. So far ive missed 6 or 7 red alerts because the alerts wandered in at least a hour later. Just to be sure i have the alerts set to amber or higher.
I would highly recommend this app as not only you get an accurate real time forecast but also a 30 minute OVATION model. Thanks for producing such a great app. I have used it greatly.
Had this app for a few years and although used to be good it now consistently sends an alert an hour or more after the event...not much use to aurora watchers! The app hasnt been updated in nearly 4 years also.The hemisphere map image never displays. Fortunately theres the Telegram group, SWPC.NOAA and far better apps to rely on.