Aurora Borealis Photography for Dummies

During the late 1900s, as Gen Z calls it, aurora borealis sightings at the 48th parallel were a rare, almost mythical event. But thanks to advances in cellphone cameras and the internet’s ability to connect broad audiences in real time, this once obscure hobby is now accessible to almost anyone with a vehicle.

But where does someone starting out in aurora photography even begin? According to Holly Husom Davidson, a professional portrait photographer and aurora chaser, it starts with just getting outside – preferably away from city lights.

Davidson is an original administrator for the Facebook group, “Aurora Borealis Washington State” where enthusiasts share information, photos and tips on possible aurora sightings. The group started in 2015 as a way to learn about the science behind auroras to better predict solar storms and to share in real time where visibility is good. Nearly 10 years later, they have a whopping 101,000 members.

“I had a 2 year old at the time,” she said. “So I wasn’t getting a lot of sleep and I was spending a lot of nights outside freezing my ass off. That’s why we started the group. Since then, we’ve turned a lot of people into citizen space weather scientists.”

Davidson added that each time an aurora possibility is reported in the news or on Facebook, the group can expect to get as many as 5,000 new members.

When new members join the group, Davidson said they typically ask three questions: When can I see it? Where do I go? What time?

The answer is always, “it depends.” Davidson recommends going somewhere dark with a clear opening toward the north and looking for fluctuating grayish-green light bands arching along the horizon or pillars reaching up to the sky. The human eye won’t see much color at night but the camera will – and yes, even a cell phone camera.

Space weather is highly unpredictable, but there are a few metrics that can be used to determine your chances of visibility. Those metrics include the Kp index, or the level of geomagnetic disturbances; Bz, the direction of the interplanetary magnetic field; and Bt, which is the strength of the interplanetary magnetic field. Another thing to keep in mind is most solar activity monitoring sites list times in UTC, not local time.

In order to have good aurora visibility, Kp and Bt should generally be high, and Bz should be negative. Anything that measures Bz of -5 or Bt of 10 or above is considered “chaseable” in Washington state. Kp, while the most often relied on, is not as important as Bt and Bz, especially at higher elevations, said Mark Stewart, an aurora chaser and self-proclaimed “extremely nerdy enthusiast.”

Stewart said he became interested in aurora photography after spending 10 years as a serious hiker with a penchant for photographing bioluminescence and “anything that glows.”

Anyone can shoot aurora with a basic camera or even a cell phone, but for the best results he recommends a wide -angle lens (at least 20mm) with a wide aperture (f2.8 or lower) because it allows for more light. He also recommends bumping up the ISO (or light sensitivity) as high as 6,400 and shooting in RAW format if possible.

“You can do this with a cellphone but if you want something that will print well, you need a nice camera,” he said.

Aurora chasers don’t have to own a high-end DSLR camera, they just need a phone with night mode. A tripod or something to hold the phone steady is also helpful. And of course, dress warmly and practice good etiquette by being mindful of how flashlights and headlights might ruin another photographer’s shot.

“It doesn’t have to be some amazing scene. You don’t need to spend hours freezing up on the mountain, although that is often ideal,” Davidson said. “Just find a dark field, open area, let your eyes adjust and be patient.”

Monitoring Facebook groups or apps like Space Weather Live or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Aurora Forecast page can help track when auroras might be visible.

Those wanting to learn more are encouraged to follow group discussions in the “Aurora Borealis Washington State” Facebook group and download the “Space Weather Live” smartphone app. You can also follow NOAA’s Goes Magnetometer monitoring page here.   X

SIDEBAR TIPS

1. During daylight, check your equipment to ensure you have fully charged batteries and a memory card present. Batteries drain faster in cold weather. This is also a good time to set the focus for the horizon as it can be difficult to focus your camera at night.
2. Set ISO as high as possible but also consider the brightness of the aurora. At Washington’s latitude, an ISO of 6400 should be sufficient. This is to freeze the movement of the lights.
3. Set the aperture as wide as possible. f2.8 or f1.8 is ideal. This is to let as much light in through the lens as possible, and shorten the shutter speed.
4. Shoot in RAW format. It will make a considerable difference in the amount of information that’s available in post processing.
5. Dress warmly. Nothing ruins a magical aurora show like being cold in the dark.