Stian Klo shares his tips on how to succeed shooting the Northern Lights:
- Avoid towns and other light sources.
- When onboard, you need to account for the ship’s movement.
- Use a tripod or monopod to secure stability.
- Use a fast lens.
- Set the camera at a high ISO value to keep the shutter speed as fast as possible.
Can you take pictures of the northern lights with a phone?
If you have a fairly up-to-date Android, you should be able to capture the Northern Lights. I used a Samsung Galaxy S9.
What are the best settings for photographing the northern lights?
A good starting point when photographing the northern lights is: aperture f/2.8, ISO 1600 (increase if it’s very dark) and 15 seconds shutter speed. Keep in mind that if the aurora is very active (i.e. dances quickly), you need to shorten the shutter speed.
What kind of camera do you need to capture northern lights?
The Nikon D810, D850 and Z7 are some of the best cameras for Northern Lights photography, as are the Canon EOS 5DS R and the Sony a7R IV. More affordable options such as the Sony Alpha A6000 and the Nikon D3500 should still meet the needs of non-professional photographers when used with the right equipment.
Can I take pictures of northern lights with iPhone?
Taking photos
Turn on Stars Mode (a green icon means it’s turned on). You’re now ready to take a photo – just tap the shutter and wait about 15 seconds. If the lights are faint, try turning on Light Boost too, it can really help bring out them out. The “sun icon” button turns Light Boost on.
Will 2022 be a good year for Northern Lights?
“There will continue to be aurora viewing opportunities in 2022,” Steenburgh said. “The solar cycle is indeed ramping up and as solar activity increases, so do the chances for Earth-directed blobs of plasma, the coronal mass ejections, which drive the geomagnetic storms and aurora.”
Do you need a special camera for Northern Lights?
A camera with manual mode is required for northern lights photography. You must be able to control f-stop, shutter speed, and ISO, each manually. I use and recommend full-frame cameras such as the Nikon Z7. A full-frame camera will produce much higher quality images with less, noise than a crop sensor camera.
What direction should Northern Lights face?
Head north. The best way to see the northern lights is to head north. Most of the molecular activity that causes the northern lights happens near the Earth’s magnetic poles. For that reason, the Arctic region is an ideal location for hunting the aurora.
Why are my Northern Lights photos blurry?
For the best results, set your aperture (f-stop) to at least f4 to let in enough light to capture the aurora. If you can adjust the aperture on your lens to f2. 8, choose this setting instead, but avoid going any lower than this or images can become ‘noisy’ or grainy.
Why do Northern Lights look green in photos?
The majority of auroral displays are predominantly green for two reasons, the first of which is that the human eye detects green more readily than other colours. This is why photographic images of the Northern Lights will often show colours that were not visible at the time to the naked eye.
How do I set my phone camera for Northern Lights?
Set your phone to manual mode
Alter the exposure near 10 seconds and ISO to 800 to start with and freely adjust it if the aurora’s intensity is not as bright as you want it to. Taking Northern Lights is very challenging as the aurora is always moving and sometimes it moves fast!
How do I turn my iPhone into star mode?
Star and star trail photography with your iPhone
- Download NightCap and open it on your iPhone.
- Tap the star icon at the bottom of your screen and choose Stars Mode.
- To enable light boost, which will increase how much light hits your camera’s sensor, tap the sun icon.
Which month is best for Northern Lights?
The best time to see the Northern Lights is on clear nights around midnight during the Aurora season starting at the end of August and finishing by mid-April. However, if you are at a lower latitude and there is a big solar storm, you can enjoy the Aurora even during the summer months, like June or July.
Is there a Northern Lights app?
Aurora Alerts is an app designed to monitor real-time auroral activity and push alert to let you know if there may be aurora borealis (northern lights) visible tonight. Whenever you are home or away, Aurora Alerts will notify you if the possibility of seeing the northern lights exists.
How do I turn on star mode?
Open NightCap on your iPhone, tap the star icon, and choose Stars Mode. Tap the sun at the bottom of the screen to enable light boost, which will increase how much light hits your camera’s sensor.
How long do Northern Lights normally last?
The length of the display also varies depending on the solar activity. Generally, you can expect a good light show to last between 15 and 30 minutes. And if you’re really lucky, it may go on for a couple of hours.
How long do Northern Lights last?
They don’t usually exhibit for long – they may only show for a few minutes, then glide away before returning. A good display may last for no longer than 15-30 minutes at a time, although if you’re really lucky, it could extend to a couple of hours or longer.
Do the Northern Lights happen every night?
No. Huge geomagnetic storms, the kind that can cause very intense displays of the northern lights, don’t happen every night, even during solar maximum. During solar minimum, they still happen, just less frequently.
What are the two most important things needed to see the Northern Lights?
The best conditions for seeing the Northern Lights include a few key factors: Mainly dark skies, and very few clouds. And, usually, the less light pollution in the sky, the better. This leads many people to profess that you won’t see the aurora if the moon is shining brightly.
Can you look directly at Northern Lights?
Despite the fact that the Northern Lights may sound dangerous, they aren’t. Solar wind is dissipated at such a high altitude in the atmosphere that it poses no threat to any humans on the ground below.
Can you see the Northern Lights with your naked eyes?
Yes. If the Northern Lights are strong enough you can see them with your naked eye. However, most photographs of the Northern Lights are taken with special camera setups, and at least a long shutter speed.