Rare Skies

The sky holds extraordinary sights. Rare Skies helps you understand when and where to look. Explore auroras, rare polar stratospheric clouds, meteor showers and eclipses, with forecasts and information tailored to your selected location. AURORAS Explore aurora activity maps, follow the Kp index and its forecast, check cloud cover and access sky cameras. POLAR STRATOSPHERIC CLOUDS Discover the conditions that can favour these rare, luminous clouds. Explore stratospheric temperature maps and experimental forecasts to identify potentially favourable viewing windows. METEOR SHOWERS Discover upcoming showers and their peak dates. Explore viewing conditions based on darkness, cloud cover and your selected location. ECLIPSES Prepare for upcoming solar and lunar eclipses with event information, countdowns and links to reference sources. YOUR SKY, YOUR LOCATION Use your device’s location or search for a place manually to explore conditions nearby or plan your next trip. UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS Rare Skies brings astronomy and weather information together to help you decide whether it is worth heading outside. Forecasts are estimates, not guarantees of visibility. Polar stratospheric cloud forecasts are experimental: favourable conditions do not confirm that clouds are present. Weather, daylight and local conditions affect what you can see. Never look directly at the Sun without appropriate certified solar viewing protection.