Northern Lights: All the materials, apps and advice you need to see and shoot Northern Lights

Have you ever seen the aurora borealis? Bows and strips of greenery with vast green hangings and pulsating crowns above your head, they offer an exquisite spectacle. Also called Aurora Borealis, they are currently running around the North Pole, but to see them you have to go to the Auroral Zone.

This is anywhere in the latitudes 64º and 70º North, a strip of the planet that covers the north of Russia, northern Scandinavia – including Iceland, Norway, the Sweden and Finland – as well as Alaska and the Canadian North.

The key moment to visit is between September and March, when the nights are long and dark (be sure to avoid the week before the full moon and the next three days), but do not expect to see northern lights every night. Clouds are common in these latitudes, so visit as long as you can – a week should be enough for at least one night of clear skies – and arm yourself with the information and materials you need to search for them.

From the best local apps to the cameras and equipment with which you can capture the northern lights, we have everything you need for a successful hunt at one of the biggest events of nature.

Best sites to forecast the northern lights

Whether or not you see the aurora borealis at your location will depend on the geomagnetic activity at that time. This is usually expressed in terms of KP-index, a scale of geomagnetic activity. Although there are other factors involved, you are looking for the KP-3 or higher (if it arrives at the KP-5, get out NOW!).

Space Weather Forecast Center

You can not control the aurora borealis. You can not guarantee to see them even if you stay in the Arctic Circle for weeks. However, the chances of seeing them are quite high in winter.

But who wants to stay outside the hotel in icy conditions, in the expectation of their appearance? Stay in the hotel bar and check out the hotel's website. Space Weather Forecast Center. It contains a lot of detailed information about what is happening in the sky above you, but also about what might happen later.

The key graph is that of the auroral oval, which gives you the likelihood of a visible aurora where you are located. The graph illustrating the KP index is also useful.

Other options

Alternatives to the Space Weather Forecast Center include the Weather Live OVATION Auroral Forecast and Live Space Weather. However, it is just as important as finding a clear sky. A really useful site to watch cloud cover is YR from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, and if you are in Iceland, the local manager Forecast Vedur Aurora.

Best cameras to take pictures of the northern lights

Put away your smartphone, even if it still works in the freezing temperatures of the Arctic Circle. Instead, you need a mirrorless camera or a DSLR camera with as large a sensor as possible and a wide-angle lens.

The settings are relatively easy. With this lens set to infinity focus and offering wider apertures (such as f2.8), make an ISO 800 or ISO 1600 inbound call and set an exposure time of between 10 and 20 seconds, depending on the brightness of the screen. Shoot Raw (not jpeg) and you can use Photoshop to display even a blurry display. Be sure to walk away from the street lights.

An advanced versatile, the D850 is the perfect complement to an entry-level digital SLR and will capture the aurora borealis more effectively. Aimed at professionals and advanced enthusiasts, it features an incredibly high 45.4-megapixel full-frame sensor, an optional battery grip, a high-powered viewfinder, and a high-end viewfinder. 39, a 4K video and, which is important for Northern Lights photography, a tilting touch screen. This makes it much easier to frame a shot even if you have a small tripod.

Other options

Although we chose the latest Nikon Full Frame DSLR, any camera with a Full Frame sensor will produce the sharpest and sharpest images at night. You could just as easily go for the main rival of the D850, the Canon 6D Mk II (Canon full frame camera the cheapest) or Canon 7D Mark II.

Or a mirrorless camera such as the Sony A7R III or – if you have money to spend – the flagship product Sony A9.

However, DSLR cameras are still winning because of their longer battery life and their superior outdoor design, which is more resistant to cold. You can also opt for a cheaper crop sensor APS-C camera with almost identical picture quality. Candidates include Canon EOS 800D and the Nikon D5600.

Best lenses for taking pictures of Northern Lights

As the Northern Lights move through the sky above snowy landscapes, you want to capture as many views as possible. So, choose a wide angle lens. You can choose the lens offered by your camera brand or opt for a third-party lens (usually cheaper). However, be sure to get a "Canon Fit" or a "Nikon Fit", or whatever applies to your camera brand.

While most wide angle lenses reach an aperture of about 1.8. Sigma's Art goal reduced it to f1.8. This means that you can capture in five seconds what previously took 10 seconds, which means brighter and / or more defined Northern Lights. Available for Canon, Nikon, Sony E-mount and Sigma frames, the Sigma Art 14mm is nevertheless a heavy objective.

Other options

An excellent alternative to Sigma Art is the Samyang 14mm f / 2.8 the lens (also known as Rokinon in the United States), considered the most affordable lens for all types of astrophotography. Meanwhile, Nikon is doing the Nikon AF Nikkor 14mm f / 2.8 and Canon EF 16-35mm f / 4L IS USM. In the mirror-less world, Sony's E-mount wide-angle lens for its A7 III and A9 flagship is the Sony FE 16-35mm f / 2.8 GM.

Best tripods to take pictures of Northern Lights

If you want to take pictures with a long exposure, you must absolutely use a tripod. Many people make the mistake of traveling to the Arctic Circle without a decent camera, but even more make the journey without a tripod. Take one in real size so you can aim the camera upward while framing more easily.

The alternative is to use a tripod much lighter, but it will probably mean kneeling in the snow to prepare each shot. It is also essential to use a small flashlight to adjust settings in the dark and protective gloves to operate the camera without mittens.

Befrree Advanced Travel Tripod in Manfrotto Carbon Fiber

Quick to install and disbademble, this sturdy but lightweight tripod is doing well in the snow

Characteristics

Weight: 1.25 kg

Equipment: carbon fiber

Payload: 8 kg

Min. Size: 41 cm

Max. Size: 150 cm

Closed length: 41cm ** Type of head: ** patella

Attachment: 3/8 "screw

Reasons to buy

+Quick to set up+No twisting necessary

Reasons to avoid

–Expensive

The most common mistake among Northern Lights observers is not to take the tripod. As you have to open the shutter for at least 10 seconds, you are fighting for a loser, unless you have something like this 1.2 kg carbon fiber tripod. The ball joint allows you to easily position the camera, but we also like the quick release lever, the central push-button column and the easily foldable legs. This means you can quickly install and shoot it, which is really useful in the snow of Lapland or Alaska.

Other options

Any tripod powerful enough for landscape photography will be suitable for shooting the Northern Lights. Manfrotto's rivals include the Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 Aluminum and MeFOTO GlobeTrotter Convertible Tripod Kit.