How to Take Northern Lights Pictures With a Phone

Modern phones can capture the aurora surprisingly well. The secret is a long exposure and a phone that does not move.

Why a phone sees more than your eyes

In dim light, the human eye relies on rod cells. Rods are sensitive but do not see color well. That is why a faint aurora often looks grey or white to the eye.

A phone sensor collects light for several seconds and adds it all up. It also sees color equally well in the dark. The result is a photo with bright green and sometimes pink or red, even when the sky looked pale. This is normal, not a filter.

During the storms of May 10-11, 2024 and October 10-11, 2024, many people across the US only realized the aurora was there after taking a phone picture of the northern sky.

Keep the phone perfectly still

A long exposure records every small movement as blur. Stability matters more than any other setting.

• Use a small phone tripod or a clamp mount if you have one.
• If not, lean the phone against something solid: a fence post, a car roof, a rock or a backpack.
• Set a 3 or 10 second self-timer so the tap on the screen does not shake the phone.
• Some phones detect a tripod and allow longer night exposures automatically.

Handheld shots can work in strong displays, but expect softer stars and less detail.

Settings for night mode

Most iPhone and Android phones have a night mode that turns on by itself in the dark. You can usually adjust the length of the exposure with a slider or a small moon icon.

• Exposure: start at 3 seconds for a bright, moving aurora. Use 5 to 10 seconds for a faint glow. Longer exposures blur fast-moving rays.
• Flash: off. It only lights the ground in front of you.
• Zoom: stay on the main or wide lens. Digital zoom adds noise.
• Brightness: if the sky looks washed out, lower the exposure slider slightly.

Using manual or pro mode

Many Android phones and some third-party camera apps offer a manual or pro mode. This gives you more control.

Higher ISO makes the picture brighter but grainier. Find the lowest ISO that still shows the aurora clearly.

Getting focus right

Phones often struggle to focus on a dark sky. Tap the screen on a bright star, the Moon or a distant streetlight, then hold your finger down to lock focus if your phone allows it.

In manual mode, set focus to infinity, then pull it back very slightly if stars look soft. Take a test shot and zoom in on the screen to check.

Framing and timing

Point the camera north (south in the Southern Hemisphere) and include something on the ground, such as trees, a barn or a lake. It gives the photo scale.

Shoot often. The aurora changes from minute to minute, and a burst of activity can last only a few minutes. Turn the screen brightness down so your eyes stay adapted to the dark. Check the current Kp index and the aurora map before you go out.

Questions people ask