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A Guide to the Northern and Southern Lights

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

If you’ve just read Emma Grey’s beautiful essay on her quest to capture images of the Aurora Australis in the wake of her husband’s death, you might be inspired to view nature’s magnificent light show for yourself — we certainly were! Before you plan your next vacation, consider these tips for scouting out the northern and southern lights in places near and far.

3 Places to See the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)

  • Fairbanks, Alaska

    Fairbanks is located directly under the auroral oval, a ring-shaped area over the geomagnetic North Pole, making it one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights.

  • Reykjavik, Iceland

    There are a number of great ways to see the northern lights from Reykjavik. Öskjuhlið is the best place to see the aurora borealis because of the lack of light pollution.

    • Aurora season is between October and March.

    • Visit Perlan, the Nature Museum, which also houses a planetarium, an indoor ice cave, a glacier exploratorium, and an observation deck with panoramic views.

    • Take the Golden Circle Tour from Buuble, which features an overnight stay in a transparent bubble so you can see the night sky.

  • Yellowknife, Canada

    Known as the Aurora capital of North America, Yellowknife is the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories and is positioned in the middle of the auroral oval, the oval-shaped band that’s centered between two geomagnetic poles.

    • Mid-November to the beginning of April is the aurora season, though the lights are visible up to 240 days a year.

    • The Snowkings’ Winter Festival happens every March.

    • Book a tour through Aboriginal-owned Aurora Village.

3 Places to See the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis)

The southern lights are not viewed as frequently as the northern lights (unless you’re in Antarctica), but there are a few places where you might see them during the year.

Mount Wellington, Tasmania

Tasmania is one of the best places to consistently see the southern lights.

    • Aurora season is between late March and September, though there is a 1-2% chance of seeing the aurora australis on any given night.

    • Mount Wellington is a 4,100-foot peak that offers a panoramic view of the lights.

New Zealand

While it is possible to see the Southern Lights from places like Queenstown, you’ll have better luck if you’re further south and farther away from the cities. Try one of these places:

    • Stewart Island, the southernmost populated New Zealand island, is a short ferry ride from Bluff. It is made up of mostly national park land, but the weather can be a bit unpredictable.

    • Lake Tekapo and Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park are both part of the Dark Sky Reserve, which means they are internationally known for having some of the darkest skies in the world.

    • The Catlins are one of the southernmost points you can visit on the mainland, where you’ll be able to get away from light pollution.

Antarctica and South Georgia Island

South Georgia Island is the best place in the Antarctic Circle to see the Aurora Australis, but you’ll be able to see it from most places in Antarctica.

    • Antarctic winter, June through September, is the best time to go. The lights might show up in South Georgia, an island in the South Atlantic Ocean, as early as March.

    • Only research expeditions go to Antarctica during winter due to subzero temperatures. The average is around minus 50 degrees Celsius (minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit). Many cruises and other trips go to Antarctica and South Georgia in the Antarctic summer (late October to March).

Tips for photographers hoping to capture the northern or southern lights!

The northern and southern lights are notoriously hard to capture on camera due to their constantly shifting color, speed, and brightness. Here are a few tips to help you get the best shot.

  • Bring a camera that has manual mode (like a full-frame DSLR), a tripod, a wide-angle lens with a fast aperture (f1.8, f2.8, or f4), a spare battery or two, and an extra memory card that works well in cold conditions.

  • Use Aurora forecast websites like this one, or ask your hotel for resources they might use. Be prepared to watch the weather, too—you’ll need clear skies!

  • Before it gets dark, adjust your camera to focus on the far horizon. Once your camera is in focus, mark where the lens has been turned to in order to focus on the horizon; that way, you can even do it in the dark.

  • Make sure your camera is set to manual mode and the aperture is as wide as possible.

  • Exposure should be at 15-20 seconds for slower auroras and 5-10 for faster.

  • Set ISO at 1,600 to start to make sure your photographs aren’t too grainy.

  • Set custom white balance at a Kelvin value of around 3,000.

P.S. While smartphone cameras haven’t always captured good images of the aurora, newer versions of Android phones and iPhones with Night Mode can take pretty good pictures!

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