Editorial Policy

Editorial Policy

Last updated .

The short version

We aim to give clear, accurate and honestly sourced information about the northern lights and space weather. Our forecasts are automated from public data. Our articles are checked against primary sources such as NOAA, they say how uncertain things are, and we correct mistakes openly.

What we publish

This site has two kinds of content, and they are made differently.

  • Live tools and forecasts. The northern lights forecast, 3-day forecast and solar flare monitor are generated automatically in your browser from public data feeds. No person writes or edits the forecast for a given night, and each tool says what data it uses.
  • Articles and guides. These explain the science, help readers interpret the tools, and give practical advice such as photography tips. A person is responsible for every article we publish.

Our sources

  • Primary sources first. For space weather we rely on the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, NASA and other official agencies. For weather and cloud data we use established public data providers, listed below.
  • Cite what we claim. Where an article makes a specific scientific claim, we base it on a primary or authoritative source and link to it where we can.
  • Label estimates. Some figures on this site are our own estimates, such as the Kp a city needs for aurora. We say when something is a model or a rule of thumb and explain how it works, so it is not mistaken for an official or measured value.
  • Be careful with certainty. Space weather is uncertain. We use words like “can,” “often” and “roughly” when that is what the evidence supports.

How we write and check articles

  1. We research the topic using the sources above.
  2. We write in plain language, and separate what is well established from what is an estimate or common practice.
  3. We check numbers and calculations, and make sure any tables or figures can be reproduced from the method we describe.
  4. A person reviews each article for accuracy, clarity and sourcing before it is published.
  5. We show an “Updated” date on articles. We change it only when the content has been reviewed or materially changed, not for cosmetic edits.
  6. We revisit articles from time to time, especially when the underlying science, data feeds or official guidance change.

Our use of AI

We use AI tools to help with research, drafting and editing. A person reviews and takes responsibility for everything we publish, and AI output is checked against sources before it appears. AI is not used to produce our forecasts, which come from the public data and calculations described on each tool. We do not present AI-generated or illustrated images as real photographs of the aurora or the Sun, and illustrations are labeled as illustrations.

The limits of our forecasts

Our forecasts are estimates built from public space weather and weather data. They cannot guarantee that the aurora will be visible from a particular place at a particular time, and they should not be used for safety decisions. Forecasts further ahead are less certain, and we say so on the pages where they appear. Our guide to reading the 3-day forecast explains this in detail.

Corrections and updates

We make mistakes, and we want to hear about them. If you find an error, please contact us and, if you can, include a source. When we confirm a mistake we correct it promptly. If the correction changes the meaning of an article in a significant way, we add a note saying what changed and when.

Independence and commercial relationships

  • No paid influence on forecasts or advice. Nobody can pay to change a forecast, a verdict or the advice in an article.
  • Advertising and affiliate links. If we add advertising or affiliate links, we will label them clearly and they will not affect our forecasts or what we recommend.
  • No official affiliation. We are an independent site. We use public data from NOAA, NASA and other organisations, but we are not affiliated with them, and they do not endorse our content.

Images and media

We credit the source of images we did not create. Images from agencies such as NASA and NOAA are generally in the public domain, and we credit them anyway. Photographs are shown as captured, and we do not combine images or add aurora to a photo and present it as a single real scene. If a picture is an illustration, we say so.

Data attributions

For how these services handle your information, see our privacy policy.

Feedback

If you have questions about how we work, or suggestions for how we could do it better, please get in touch through our contact page.