Photography: The Northern Lights

Mesmerizing, stunning, other-worldly, spectacular

The snow is falling and the temperatures are dropping in Lapland, heralding the best time to see the 'Aurora Borealis', the Dawn of the North. This is one of the planet's most spectacular natural performances when the dark skies of the far north are lit up by a brightly coloured lights dancing across the sky.

Mesmerizing, stunning, other-worldly, spectacular. When conditions are favourable the display lights up the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, leaving everyone who sees the lights with memories that will last forever.

 

 

 

What are they?

The aurora borealis appears when solar wind particles collide with air molecules in the earth's atmosphere, transferring their energy into light. Displays can vary in intensity, from a glowing curtain of greenish yellow lights, dancing in the distance to a spectacular, multi-coloured fusion stretching across the sky.

NASA sent a fleet of Themis satellites into orbit to observe and record the goings on of the Earth's magnetic field over the poles. By watching the data from Themis while simultaneously conducting ground-based observations at the poles, NASA was able to determine that the lights correspond to magnetic explosions caused by the stretching and retracting of the Earth's magnetic field as we orbit the sun

Sightings of the northern lights can never be guaranteed, even when the conditions seem just right.  A clear cloudless night is essential and for the most intense sightings, it's important to be away from any sources of artificial light, like street lights. Sightings not only vary in intensity but in duration too, from just a few minutes to hours.

Where is the best place to view them?

Although the northern lights can at times be seen as far south as the UK, you really need to travel north and visit such places as Iceland, Lapland, Canada and Greenland during the darkest months of November to March for the best opportunities possible.

Two locations that are considered as the best in the world to view the northern lights are the virtually cloud-free sky at Abisko Mountain Station, within the Abisko National Park in Swedish Lapland and Hotel Ranga in south Iceland.

When?

Usually during the best period is when the sky is darkest between November and February, although they can be seen as early as late August and as late as mid April. The phases of the moon also have an affect too. If you have a full moon then it can greatly detract from the spectacle, whereas around the time of the new moon, if sightings are possible then they should be at their best.

 

Photographing the Lights:

A sturdy and preferably heavy tripod is essential since exposure time exceeds 10 - 20 seconds. You won't achieve the best results holding your camera. 
Bring the fastest wide angle lens you own, f2.8 is good enough, f2.4 is better and f1.4 is best
Use a good digital camera or film camera with at least 400 asa film.
Wear warm clothes and boots as you can spend several hours standing still in cold weather.

See www.iww.is/art/shs/pages/thumbs.html for beautiful shots of the lights by Sigurdur H Stefnisson shs

 

Tags: sigurdur h stefnisson northern lights photography 

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