Combines aurora activity with viewing conditions (darkness, cloud cover, visibility) to provide photography-ready aurora quality scores. Aurora activity is OVATION-aware from the compute step.
Combines aurora activity with viewing conditions for photography-ready scores. Best results during astronomical twilight (solar elevation < -12°) with clear skies (<10% cloud cover). Overhead aurora (85+) provides strongest displays directly above, horizon aurora (60-75) appears on northern horizon. Plus/Pro users get sky probe enhancement for all-bearing cloud sampling.
Use these as planning patterns, then adjust thresholds for your subject, season, and location.
Aurora Quality is useful because it filters space-weather activity through the local sky conditions photographers actually face.
Strong aurora activity, dark sky, low cloud, and good visibility during your planned shooting window
Raw aurora activity looks good, but clouds, twilight, or haze would hide the display
The score helps reduce noisy aurora notifications by requiring both activity and usable viewing conditions.
Use a higher threshold when you need fewer, stronger alerts for travel or late-night wakeups
Alerting on every possible aurora signal without checking cloud cover and darkness
Aurora Quality evaluates the complete photography readiness of aurora conditions by combining geomagnetic activity with critical viewing factors including darkness, cloud cover, and visibility. Unlike raw Kp index or activity predictions alone, this score accounts for whether the aurora will actually be visible and photographable at your location.
The algorithm integrates OVATION probability data for Pro users, solar elevation to ensure sufficient darkness, and real-time cloud cover to filter out conditions where auroras would be obscured.
Filter aurora activity through the sky conditions that decide whether a display is photographable.
Catch weaker or lower displays without treating every activity bump as a trip-worthy alert.
Inspect aurora activity as one of the forecast signals behind Aurora Quality.
Inspect total cloud coverage as one of the forecast signals behind Aurora Quality.
Inspect solar elevation as one of the forecast signals behind Aurora Quality.
Inspect visibility as one of the forecast signals behind Aurora Quality.
Inspect wind speed as one of the forecast signals behind Aurora Quality.
Aurora Quality is PhotoWeather's comprehensive metric for aurora photography readiness, designed specifically for photographers who need to know not just if an aurora is predicted, but whether they'll actually be able to photograph it. The northern lights require specific conditions to be photographable: geomagnetic activity strong enough to produce visible auroras, sufficient darkness for the display to stand out, clear skies so clouds don't obscure the show, and good visibility for capturing detail and color.
Traditional aurora forecasts provide only the Kp index or activity level, leaving photographers to manually cross-reference darkness, weather, and cloud forecasts. PhotoWeather's Aurora Quality score solves this by computing a single 0-100% value that represents true photographic opportunity. The algorithm combines aurora activity predictions with solar elevation (penalizing twilight when skies aren't dark enough), cloud cover (reducing scores when overcast conditions would block the view), and visibility data.
For Plus and Pro users, the system enhances accuracy by sampling cloud cover across all sky directions, ensuring you know if any part of the horizon is clear for aurora viewing. Pro tier users also benefit from OVATION probability integration, which provides higher-resolution aurora forecasts than Kp alone. Scores above 85% indicate exceptional conditions with strong activity and clear dark skies overhead, while scores of 60-75% suggest horizon auroras or good activity with some cloud interference. Photographers typically set thresholds of 70% or higher to receive notifications only when conditions are truly favorable, filtering out marginal situations where auroras might be technically present but not worth the trip. This derived field is essential for aurora chasers who need reliable, actionable forecasts that account for the complete photographic scenario.
In PhotoWeather, Aurora Quality is shown from 0.0% to 100.0%. Use the guide above to choose a narrower range for your subject, season, and location.
Aurora Quality combines forecast signals such as Aurora Activity, Aurora Category, Total Cloud Coverage, Solar Elevation, Visibility into one photography planning cue. Use it as a shortlist, then check the individual fields before committing to a shoot.
Evaluates atmospheric conditions for blue hour photography quality. Scores sky clarity, cloud type suitability (high thin clouds ideal), visibility, and calm conditions.
Predicts the chance of vivid red, orange, and pink sunrise or sunset color. Best when the sun has a clear opening near the horizon, some clouds are ready to catch the light, and low clouds are not blocking the show.
How likely fog is to form. High scores mean misty, atmospheric conditions for moody landscape and sunrise photography.
Atmospheric suitability for golden hour photography across extended time window around golden hour periods
Cloud formation suitability for golden hour photography across extended time window around golden hour periods
Analysis of cloud formations and atmospheric conditions for dramatic sky photography
Storm intensity analysis combining precipitation, wind conditions, atmospheric pressure, visibility, GFS simulated radar reflectivity, and wind shear for enhanced storm organization detection.
Frost formation probability combining temperature, dewpoint spread, cloud cover, and wind analysis
Dew formation probability combining overnight radiative cooling, surface temperature, moisture, and wind analysis
Probability of visible rainbow formation based on solar geometry and precipitation patterns
Analysis of coastal drama combining wave dynamics, wind-driven spray and atmospheric cloud structure for seascape photography.
Comprehensive atmospheric clarity analysis for landscape and astrophotography using CAMS aerosol optical depth, particle composition (dust, smoke, sea salt), particle size distribution (Ångström exponent), and visibility conditions.
Scores forecast sky quality for deep-sky, starscape, and nightscape photography using darkness, moon interference, clouds, atmospheric transparency, precipitation risk, and forecast confidence. This is not a Bortle class or site-darkness/light-pollution rating.
Scores Milky Way core / Galactic Center shootability using Galactic Center altitude plus dark, clear, transparent, moon-friendly forecast sky conditions. This is not a generic Milky Way band detector or site-darkness rating.
Likelihood of sun breaking through clouds creating dramatic rays and dappled light patterns. Best with partial cloud cover (40-70%) and some sunshine reaching the surface.
Quality of diffused light for portrait and product photography. High scores indicate soft, even lighting that minimizes harsh shadows - the 'giant softbox' effect.
Rates how visually interesting the clouds are - distinguishing dramatic formations from boring flat overcast. High scores indicate structured clouds with good light transmission.
How flat and boring the overcast is. HIGH scores indicate uniform gray sky with no breaks or texture - generally unfavorable for most photography. LOW scores indicate breaks, texture, or clearing.
Predicted aurora Kp index for geomagnetic activity
Real-time NOAA OVATION Prime satellite aurora probability (0-100%). Available for near-term forecasts only (0-2 hours).
Sun's angle above horizon (0° = horizon, 90° = zenith)
Overall cloud coverage across all altitudes
Use Aurora Quality with related photography weather fields to get alerts for your locations, subjects, and shooting windows.
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