The Northern Lights are an enchanting event that occurs when solar particles interact with Earth's atmosphere. These phenomena, also called the Northern Lights, are best described as colorful lights dancing through the sky.
This year we experienced a wave of northern lights.
Stephen Jeans, a professor and geomorphologist, explains that this is because the Sun has an 11-year cycle of peak to peak activity.
“During an 11th year of the solar cycle, there will be tons of sunspots like we have now,” says Jeans.
A solar max
In 2024 we reached a solar maximum, which means more solar particles and more northern lights. With this increased activity, photographers and sky lovers alike have been working hard to see and capture this event on camera.
Jeans explains that cameras see lights better than our own eyes, especially under the influence of bright phone screens or street lights.
“One is technology and one is biology. The biological part is us,” says Jeans. “A chemical called rhodopsin is developed at the back of your retina, and this chemical helps you see better at night, but as soon as a bright light of any kind gets anywhere near your eyes, it burns them.”
Pro tips for catching the Northern Lights
Naomi Atherton, a Calgary photographer, says that with increased aurora activity, people are disappointed when the lights aren't as striking as shown in photos.
“It started this argument between photographers about editing, even though the raw photo is actually not over-edited. It's just that the camera showed us what our eyes can't quite see, much more vividly,” says Atherton.
How do the professionals do it?
According to Atherton, the desired images are best achieved with high aurora activity, clear skies and plenty of preparation.
“That's what you're trying to do when you photograph Aurora, you're trying to represent it, not necessarily as you see it with the naked eye, because that's very different from how it appears in the camera. In a way it captures what you’ve seen but better,” says Atherton.
