Ground-based daytime photometric observations of auroral optical emissions from the cusp region over Longyearbyen (&Lgr;=75¿ N) Svalbard are used to illustrate spatial variations in the average energy of particles precipitating in this region. Absolute intensity measurements of daytime auroral OI [1D→3P> 6300A emission (indicative of low energy precipitating particles), along the Longyearbyen magnetic meridian generally show a broad (&Lgr;≈2.5¿¿1¿) emission region centered, on the average, around &Lgr;=77¿¿1¿ N. A relatively confined emission region of higher [OI> 6300 A intensity occurs equatorward of and separated from the cusp; this region is normally associated with visually prominent, structured auroras. Observations of the auroral OII [2D→2P> 7320A emission, indicative of higher energy precipitating particles, shows that it is weaker in the cusp compared to its intensity in the region of stuctured auroras. Enhancement of the [OII> 7320A emission maximizes near the equatorward edge of the cusp when compared to the position and extent of the broad [OI> 6300A emission region. These observations indicate higher energy electron precipitation at the equatorward edge of the cusp which might be expected from energization of magnetosheath particles by wave-particle interactions at the magnetopause.