Is Monchegorsk or Olenegorsk better for the northern lights?

Olenegorsk sits closer to the oval, at 64.1 degrees geomagnetic against 64.0. Darkness, cloud and your dates decide the rest; the tables on this page show both towns month by month.

Which has longer nights in December, Monchegorsk or Olenegorsk?

Olenegorsk, with 18.4 hours of civil night on December 15 against 18.3 in Monchegorsk.

What Kp do Monchegorsk and Olenegorsk need?

By SWPC's rule of 66 degrees at Kp 0 and 2 degrees per step, Monchegorsk needs about Kp 2 and Olenegorsk Kp 1 for the average oval edge to sit overhead.

When is it too light for aurora in Monchegorsk and Olenegorsk?

Monchegorsk: May 2 to August 9. Olenegorsk: May 2 to August 9.

Which is clearer, Monchegorsk or Olenegorsk?

Monchegorsk, with 79% mean cloud in the months with 4 hours or more of civil night against 81% in Olenegorsk (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020).

Comparison

Monchegorsk vs Olenegorsk for the northern lights

Answer

Olenegorsk sits 0.1 degrees higher on the IGRF-14 dipole, 64.1 against 64.0. By SWPC's oval-edge rule Olenegorsk needs about Kp 1 for the average edge to sit overhead and Monchegorsk Kp 2. On the map Olenegorsk is also closer to the pole, by 0.2 degrees.

64.0° / 64.1°

dipole latitude

Side by side

Computed figures for both towns
Figure	Monchegorsk	Olenegorsk
Dipole latitude	64.0°	64.1°
Kp for the oval edge overhead	Kp 2	Kp 1
Civil night, December 15	18.3 h	18.4 h
Dark-season days	247	247
Nights with no civil darkness	100	100
Dark-month cloud, NASA POWER	79%	81%
Solar midnight, December 15	00:44	00:42

Monchegorsk sits at 64.0 degrees geomagnetic, inside SWPC's 60 to 75 degree band, where aurora can be seen on more than half of all nights. No storm is needed: by SWPC's rule the average oval edge is overhead at Kp 2. Olenegorsk sits at 64.1 degrees geomagnetic, inside SWPC's 60 to 75 degree band, where aurora can be seen on more than half of all nights. No storm is needed: by SWPC's rule the average oval edge is overhead at Kp 1.

Civil night month by month

On December 15 Monchegorsk has 18.3 hours of civil night and Olenegorsk 18.4. Across the 15th of each month, Monchegorsk is darker in 2 months and Olenegorsk in 2. The widest gap comes in August, when Monchegorsk has 0.1 more hours.

Hours of civil night on the 15th of each month, 2026
Month	Monchegorsk	Olenegorsk	Difference
January	17.2 h	17.2 h	+0.0 h
February	13.8 h	13.9 h	-0.1 h
March	10.3 h	10.3 h	+0.0 h
April	5.6 h	5.5 h	+0.1 h
May	0.0 h	0.0 h	+0.0 h
June	0.0 h	0.0 h	+0.0 h
July	0.0 h	0.0 h	+0.0 h
August	3.1 h	3.0 h	+0.1 h
September	8.7 h	8.7 h	+0.0 h
October	12.6 h	12.6 h	+0.0 h
November	16.2 h	16.2 h	+0.0 h
December	18.3 h	18.4 h	-0.1 h

Difference: Monchegorsk minus Olenegorsk. Each figure links to that town's month page.

Season and midnight sun

Monchegorsk has no civil darkness from May 2 to August 9, 100 nights in 2026, and its dark season, 4 or more evening hours of civil night, lasts 247 days. Olenegorsk has no civil darkness from May 2 to August 9, 100 nights in 2026, and its dark season, 4 or more evening hours of civil night, lasts 247 days.

Distance, cloud and time zones

The two towns are 28 km apart by great circle. In the dark months Monchegorsk averages 79% cloud and Olenegorsk 81%, from NASA POWER's 2001 to 2020 record. Monchegorsk's best month by civil night times clear sky is January. Olenegorsk's best month by civil night times clear sky is January. Time zones: Europe/Moscow and Europe/Moscow.

For tonight, open the live pages for Monchegorsk and Olenegorsk, which carry the live OVATION cell.

Questions

Is Monchegorsk or Olenegorsk better for the northern lights?: Olenegorsk sits closer to the oval, at 64.1 degrees geomagnetic against 64.0. Darkness, cloud and your dates decide the rest; the tables on this page show both towns month by month.
Which has longer nights in December, Monchegorsk or Olenegorsk?: Olenegorsk, with 18.4 hours of civil night on December 15 against 18.3 in Monchegorsk.
What Kp do Monchegorsk and Olenegorsk need?: By SWPC's rule of 66 degrees at Kp 0 and 2 degrees per step, Monchegorsk needs about Kp 2 and Olenegorsk Kp 1 for the average oval edge to sit overhead.
When is it too light for aurora in Monchegorsk and Olenegorsk?: Monchegorsk: May 2 to August 9. Olenegorsk: May 2 to August 9.
Which is clearer, Monchegorsk or Olenegorsk?: Monchegorsk, with 79% mean cloud in the months with 4 hours or more of civil night against 81% in Olenegorsk (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020).

Sources and verification

IGRF-14 coefficients, NOAA NCEIhttps://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/IAGA/vmod/coeffs/igrf14coeffs.txt
SunCalchttps://github.com/mourner/suncalc
GeoNameshttps://www.geonames.org/export/
NASA POWER climatologyhttps://power.larc.nasa.gov/docs/services/api/temporal/climatology/
NOAA SWPC, Tips on viewing the aurorahttps://www.spaceweather.gov/content/tips-viewing-aurora

Quoted figures last checked against their sources on 2026-09-30; next review 2026-12-31. Computed figures come from SunCalc and the IGRF-14 dipole as described in the methodology. Every quote is listed in the sources ledger.