The Northern Lights are one of nature's most mesmerizing displays. From Tromsø in the north of Norway, thousands of guests either join Northern Lights tours or venture on their own to try to get a photo of the green in the sky. While professional cameras have dominated Aurora photography up until now, modern smartphones are more than capable of producing impressive results - and they do. Having an easily available and easy-to-use device in your pocket has a lot of advantages, and more and more guests in the north leave their big cameras back home. Even professional Northern Lights tour operators are only using smartphones for their tour photos these days - and we´ll probably see more of that in the future.
Here are a few tips and tricks on how to both find the lights and use your phone camera to take incredible shots - let´s get started.
If you are looking for more detail on how to take Northern Lights photos with DSLR or mirrorless cameras, I have already written a blog post on the subject found here. Even though phones produce impressive results, the quality is still better when taking photos with professional gear - as would be expected.
Key elements to know before heading out with your smartphone:
The Northern Lights are only visible when the nights are sufficiently dark. This is between late August and the middle of April. The best period is between the middle of September and the middle of March.
If the sky is too cloudy, you likely won’t see the aurora, as it occurs high above the clouds. The rule of thumb is that you can see the lights when you see stars, but they will shine through a thin layer of clouds.
For the best viewing experience, it’s necessary to stay away from any light pollution. On good days, you can see the lights from the city as well, and smartphones are quite good at sorting the lights from the city lights. The view outside the city is a lot better.
Having a full moon on your night out is usually not a big problem, but smartphones can make the landscape a lot brighter than reality, and the white balance can go nuts. These are things you can fix with some post-editing.
Even on the best nights, there’s no guarantee you’ll witness the aurora - and at the same time, nights with rain and snow can be the best evening ever by the end of the evening. You simply never know.
The Northern Lights are not continuously active, and their intensity varies. If you see any activity, even the very weak lines, the chances of it blowing up are there.
Night vision takes time to acquire, and it varies with age. After 30 minutes, most people will see the lights as stronger than at the beginning of the evening. Staying away from light sources like smartphones and headlights helps a lot.
There’s no set time for when the Northern Lights will appear, but primetime in Tromsø, due to the placement of the Northern Lights oval at this latitude, is usually between 7 pm and 11 pm on a normal Kp around 2-3. Don´t trust the Kp entirely - it can be misleading and might cause you to miss an incredible aurora display. Some of the apps seen in use are way too focused on the Kp, there are other variables like the Bz and power that are a lot more interesting.
Most importantly, stay patient! Don’t give up after just a short time outside—persistence pays off! Both the weather- and the Northern Lights forecast are highly unpredictable. You need to dress well, bring a hot drink, and be out.
Tracking the Northern Lights & Weather in the north.
I have previously done posts on the best apps for tracking the weather and the aurora in the north of Norway, and here I´ll give you a quick summary. If you want to dive in deeper, the posts on tracking the lights and tracking the weather are available for those with a special interest.
Aurora Tracking
There are at least hundreds of different apps that run off the data from the two same satellites, but with slightly different interpretations and detail. What to choose is individual - some want a simple app that notifies you, and others like piles of data for the best possible decisions. The apps Hello Aurora and Spaceweather live are good examples giving you the choice between something easy and practical, to high end live updates and lots of data.
Hello Aurora - easy to use with notifications.
Hello Aurora is a widely used app among Northern Lights hunters all over the world. The most loved feature are probably the ability to share photos, and get an idea where the lights are at the moment.
Advantages:
Map Feature: Hello Aurora includes a map that shows not only aurora forecasts but also cloud cover, helping users find the clearest skies for viewing.
Community Contributions: Users can upload their own photos and sightings, creating a community-driven experience.
Simple Interface: The app is designed to be accessible, offering the key data without overwhelming users with too much information.
Disadvantages:
Limited Scientific Data: Compared to other apps, Hello Aurora might lack some of the more detailed scientific data that serious aurora chasers might be looking for.
Lack of updates: the blog hasn´t been updated since 2022, but the app seems to update regularly.
Spaceweather Live - tons of data, but very usable if learned.
This is the app/webpage used by most professionals in the Aurora tour community. Whilst having a steep learning curve for just a few days on the road, it gives you a lot more to look at than the example above.
Advantages:
Comprehensive Data: SpaceWeatherLive is packed with detailed space weather information, making it ideal for users who want to delve deep into the science behind the auroras.
Real-Time Updates: The app offers continuous updates on solar activity, geomagnetic conditions, and aurora predictions.
Perfect for Enthusiasts: This app is a great choice for those who have a strong interest in space weather and want detailed forecasts.
Disadvantages:
Technical Complexity: The app’s extensive data and technical details may be overwhelming for casual users or those new to Aurora chasing.
Weather apps
The weather is a bit easier to track than the Northern Lights, but even with modern technology, meteorologists are having a hard time being right every night in the Arctic. Guides and companies doing professional tours would never use only one source but compare different weather models. The two most used ones are the national weather app yr.no and windy.com - but also, in this realm, there is a lot to choose from when it comes to apps and webpages. As a rule of thumb, we usually never make any detailed decision on where to go until a few hours before departure, and looking at the forecast days ahead makes little sense up here. The 10-day forecast is something we pay little attention to.
Yr.no - The National Meteorological Institute of Norway.
For the best forecasts in Norway (and Scandinavia), we use this app and website. It uses the ICON weather model up north and is quite accurate a day or two ahead. The data can, however, change quite quickly, and some evenings, you need to check both on departure and as you are hunting. This app is a must-have for Northern Lights enthusiasts.
Key Features:
Detailed Forecasts: Provides hour-by-hour weather updates, crucial for tracking changing conditions.
Cloud Cover Predictions: Essential for determining whether the skies will be clear enough to view the Northern Lights.
Aurora Forecast Integration: Includes basic aurora forecasts, although this feature is not as detailed as some aurora-specific apps.
User-Friendly Interface: Easy navigation and customization options make it accessible even for beginners.
Pros:
Accuracy: Especially reliable in Northern Europe, where it is the most widely used weather app.
Customizable Alerts: Allows users to set up notifications for specific weather conditions, such as clear skies.
Accessibility: The app is free and available on multiple platforms, including web, iOS, and Android.
Cons:
Limited Global Coverage: While highly accurate in Scandinavia, its precision diminishes outside this region.
Basic Aurora Information: Not as detailed in terms of Aurora forecasts compared to dedicated apps.
Windy.com - a powerful visualization tool.
Windy.com is a favorite among travelers for its interactive and detailed weather maps. Unlike traditional weather apps, Windy.com provides a visual approach to weather forecasting, making it particularly useful for tracking the complex weather patterns that influence Northern Lights visibility. It gives you a nice overview of what direction to head in and combined with yr.no; you can pinpoint where the conditions are the best.
Key Features:
Interactive Maps: Offers real-time data with customizable overlays, such as cloud cover, wind speed, and precipitation.
Aurora Forecast Layers: Includes aurora activity as an overlay, allowing users to see where the Northern Lights are most likely to be visible.
Global Coverage: Provides detailed weather data for locations around the world, ideal for travelers heading to different Northern Lights hotspots.
Customizable Visual Tools: Users can tailor the display to focus on the weather factors most important for aurora hunting.
Pros:
Comprehensive Visualization: Perfect for visual learners who prefer map-based data over text-based forecasts.
Global Accessibility: Useful for Northern Lights hunters in any part of the world.
Layered Data: Allows users to view multiple weather factors simultaneously, such as cloud cover, aurora activity, and temperature.
Cons:
Complex Interface: The extensive features and data can be overwhelming for beginners.
Internet Dependency: Requires a stable internet connection to load high-detail maps effectively.
What gear do you need?
Now that we have gone through some of the helpful tools to actually get to a spot where the conditions are the best, it is time to have a look at what you need to do the actual photos. After all that is the end purpose of this post.
Phone
Most "modern" smartphones will give you decent to very nice photos. I have done hundreds of photos of the lights with my iPhone 13 Pro, and the higher the model, the better the photos in general. The iPhone 13 Pro tends to make the green a bit washed out, and the 15 (in my opinion) makes everything a bit too green. Without going into every phone model, the newer, the better -and all models after 2020 will give you a result worth sending back home.
Tripod
Since the phone is lightweight, you don´t need a big tripod. If you already have a tripod buy a phone bracket, and you should be set. The tripod is used to fix the phone to get crisp photos without blurred stars and landscapes when exposing over several seconds. That said, it is possible to do the photos handheld for a few seconds - the internal software on your phone is getting better by the minute. For the best results, a tripod is highly recommended.
Remote trigger
If you already own a smartwatch from the same manufacturer as your phone, there is likely functionality in the watch to trigger the camera on the phone - like the iPhone and Apple Watch. Some tripods even come with a small Bluetooth remote trigger for this purpose as well. I would not go ahead and buy a remote trigger for this purpose alone, but it certainly would make the photos even a bit better. A solution is also to use the delayed trigger functionality, where you press the shutter, and the camera starts exposing after a few seconds.
Basic phone settings and preparations for Aurora photography.
Assemble the tripod and make sure it is on a sturdy surface. If you lack a tripod, you can always use the hood of the car or snow. Just make sure it stays fixed for the duration of the photo.
Use the "normal" lens (1x) to get the best possible night photo capabilities.
Activate night mode on your phone. When Night Mode is activated, the iPhone takes a series of images at different exposures over a short period. The gyroscope and optical image stabilization help reduce blurriness caused by shaky hands. The phone then combines these images into a single, sharp, and well-lit photo. Night Mode is usually enabled automatically when the iPhone detects low light, but you can manually turn it on via the moon icon if it doesn’t activate. The phone's computational power compensates for small hand movements, making it easier to capture sharp photos without extra gear.
Set your phone to manual mode if possible. There are also apps like "Long Exposure" that can be practical if you need more control of the settings, but it has been years since I have used any extra software apart from the native and built-in one. This will depend on the phone.
Set exposure to a few seconds as a starting point. The native setting on the iPhone is 3 seconds, and it will usually get the job done. With a tripod, you can go higher to capture even more light on challenging evenings - or be more artistic.
Set ISO to 1600 - again as a starting point. The higher you go, the more noise you will get. The phone will try to get rid of the noise, and most phones have a hard time sharpening images without losing detail if you use the automated settings.
Set the aperture to the lowest possible. The phone usually does a good job here, but you might to adjust a little bit. What the lowest number is (the most open lens) will vary between phones - f1.8 is quite common.
Focus your camera on the subject by tapping the screen. This is especially important when doing portraits. Focus is easily forgotten, but it is an important element in Aurora photography.
It is also possible to do a video of the lights on newer phones. Make sure you have a low framerate, 24/25/30 frames per second is better than the native 60 frames per second on the iPhone. Don´t expect fantastic results, but on good days you might just capture something worth sharing.
Additional gear and tips that can be practical:
A flashlight or headlight. Used to move around or to light the subject during portrait photos. If the flashlight has a red-light function it is good to prevent losing night vision and to not bother other people.
Use your phone to spot for lights. Your live camera screen will see lights a lot earlier than your eyes, at least until you get a proper night vision. This is also the reason why photos look a lot better than in reality, they capture more light.
Warm clothing. Waiting for the Northern Lights can be cold, and it is a game of patience. For Northern Lights photography with your phone, a pair of thin mittens that are possible to operate the phone without taking off is highly recommended. Use them in combination with thicker gloves between photos. A more detailed post on how to dress is found here.
Hot drinks and maybe a snack. Your body needs a lot of energy when it gets cold. A thermos with tea or hot chocolate can just be the thing giving you the extra stamina to capture the show. Don´t mind the calories on vacation; an energy bar is also more or less mandatory to keep you going.
A power bank. Cold weather eats away your batteries. A small power bank will give you the extra charge that you might need. Put your phone on the inside of your jacket when not in use to preserve batteries.
All the best of luck in capturing the lights on your phone! Remember to enjoy the adventure, and look up from time to time as well.
If you want to dive into the deep end of astrophotography with your phone, there is an article written by Sten Oswald that might be of interest. A few years old, but still relevant - A Guide to Smartphone Astrophotography
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