We’re Back On Aurora Watch, 2024

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Earlier in 2024, the northern lights made an appearance across much of the United States, and as early as today, they could be making a return. From July 29-31, a series of coronal mass ejections originating from a cluster of active sunspots will collide with the Earth's atmosphere that could lead to G3 solar storm levels. This level of storm might create the possibility of dazzling aurora light shows that could extend over many of the northern states and some of the lower Midwest to Oregon. Check out our resources below to help you photograph the phenomenon and stay up to date on the solar activity at NOAA's space weather site: swpc.noaa.gov.

Screenshot from swpc.noaa.gov

Resources: Photographing The Northern Lights

Photographer and Sony Alpha Ambassador Autumn Schrock has always been fascinated by the night sky and the mysteries that lie beyond Earth’s tallest peaks. She’s traveled to photograph the northern lights many times, even leading workshops to help others capture the spectacle. “Witnessing a phenomenon like the aurora is an experience that changes you,” she says. “Something in you lights up, mirroring the sky above, suddenly all you want to do is watch these mesmerizing lights swirl around forever and ever. It’s an adventure that seems to transport you to a different planet—one with magic and wands and Horcruxes.” When shooting astrophotography,  she says to use wide lenses with fast apertures. She likes to use the low aperture of the Sony 20mm f/1.8 G for shooting the fast-moving aurora. Learn more about how she does it in How An Astro-photographer Captures The Nighttime Dance Of The Aurora.

Sony Alpha Ambassador Rachel Jones Ross is known for her stunning astro-landscape images, and she has plenty of experience incorporating the dance of the auroras into her compositions. She uses cameras like the Sony Alpha 1, Sony Alpha 7 IV and Sony Alpha 7S III when photographing the night sky, and she tends to pair them lenses like the Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master zoom or Sony 14mm f/1.8 G Master. “For aurora shooting, I tend to shoot wide, regardless of the landscape. The aurora can be difficult to capture as a lot of the drama, shape, and movement happens much higher than the horizon line where the landscape sits. I still want the landscape to be a prominent feature of the image, but I also must allow room in the composition to capture the dance of the northern lights.” Learn more about the gear she uses and how she plans out her compositions in Pro Tips For Creating The Ultimate Dreamy Nightscapes.

Photo by Rachel Jones Ross. Sony Alpha 7S III. Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master.

Having a foundational understanding of night and astrophotography is going to help you properly capture the auroras. Sony Alpha Ambassador Stan Moniz has been shooting and teaching astrophotography for years, and he’s simplified the process into some basics to help you get started. Learn more in Photo Fundamentals: Astro Exposure Basics Explained.

Choosing the right gear for photographing the northern lights is integral to the final result. You want to have a camera that excels in low-light conditions and can handle long exposure times while minimizing noise and a fast lens that's sharp to the edge of the frame when used wide open. Take a look at these 10 kits from astrophotographers, featuring a variety of Sony gear that would perform well when photographing dancing auroras: 10 Astrophotographers Share What They Use To Shoot For The Stars.

We'd love to see your aurora photos! Share them with us here in the comments. 

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Fingers crossed for tonight!

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Conditions are looking favorable this weekend. 

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Would love to see what you capture!

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I live in a small city but this was visible from my back yard last night. Hoping for more tonight.