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Aurora in Stewart Island (Rakiura)

Best time to see the southern lights (aurora australis) in Stewart Island (Rakiura), New Zealand — tonight's odds, the next 7 nights, and the best months to go, with tours to book. Odds combine the live NOAA Kp forecast, the cloud outlook, and the dark-hours window.

Sees aurora at Kp 5+ Season: Southern winter — March to September
4/100
Low
OVATION oval now0%overhead probability

Tonight's odds in Stewart Island (Rakiura) are low: solar activity looks quiet tonight (Kp 3.3, below Stewart Island (Rakiura)'s usual Kp 5 threshold), and the sky outlook is overcast.

Kp 3.3forecast peak tonight
Kp 5needed to see it here
82%overcast
~12 hdark-hours window

Right now, the planet-wide aurora activity is Kp 1.3 (latest NOAA observed reading). What's Kp?

Best time to see the aurora in Stewart Island (Rakiura)

The best months in Stewart Island (Rakiura) are June, July, May — long, dark nights plus the equinox activity boost, when the odds are genuinely worth booking around. Tonight is one data point; the next 7 nights below show how the window is trending. Plan ahead and book a tour for your dates.

Find Stewart Island (Rakiura) aurora tours → Month-by-month guide for Stewart Island (Rakiura) →

Know when Stewart Island (Rakiura) is about to light up

Aurora odds swing night to night. Leave your email and we'll tell you when Stewart Island (Rakiura) hits its best window — time to book a tour for your dates.

Aurora forecast for Stewart Island (Rakiura) — the next 3 nights

Tue 9 PM Kp 3.3
Wed 6 PM Kp 2
Thu 6 PM Kp 2.7
NightPeak KpCloudOdds
Tue 9 PM Kp 3.3 82% · overcast 4 Low
Wed 6 PM Kp 2 78% · mostly cloudy 0 Low
Thu 6 PM Kp 2.7 69% · mostly cloudy 0 Low

A ✓ means the forecast Kp clears Stewart Island (Rakiura)'s Kp 5 visibility threshold — but clear skies still decide the night.

Cloud outlook & dark hours

Cloud cover is the dealbreaker: a strong aurora under an overcast sky is a no-show. Tonight's dark-hours window in Stewart Island (Rakiura) looks overcast (about 82% cloud on average). The aurora is best viewed away from town lights with a clear view toward the south.

Almost the whole island qualifies, but the southern-facing bays around Oban and the Observation Rock lookout give an unobstructed view toward Antarctica.

Northern lights tours & stays in Stewart Island (Rakiura)

Tour links below go to live search results. We're finalizing affiliate partnerships — once active we'll earn a commission on bookings at no extra cost to you. Disclosure.

Aurora tours from Stewart Island (Rakiura) typically run $80–$300 per person. A guided "chase" that drives to the clearest sky is often worth it when the local forecast is cloudy.

Northern lights tours from Stewart Island (Rakiura)

Viator · guided tours · from $80

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Aurora chases & photo tours in Stewart Island (Rakiura)

GetYourGuide · guided tours · from $80

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Cabins, lodges & glass igloos near Stewart Island (Rakiura)

Booking.com · lodging

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These are probabilistic viewing odds, not a guarantee. We build them from public NOAA space-weather forecasts (planetary Kp + the OVATION oval model) and Open-Meteo cloud forecasts — both can change fast, and clear skies and solar activity are inherently uncertain. The aurora is a natural phenomenon; some clear, active nights still disappoint, and some quiet nights surprise. How we compute the score.