During some clear evenings there have been good conditions for seeing the northern lights. When it’s really bright, it’s enough to open the door and look out at the sky, but if you want to see it a bit better you’ll need to get away from the street lights for a bit. But in Storuman Lapland you don’t have to get out into the wilderness, we have the luxury of being able to enjoy the northern lights in great locations close to the community.
For those interested in experiencing the Northern Lights, we recommend:
– Follow the Northern Lights page on facebook for daily updates.
– Use an app, such as “Aurora” or “Aurora Alerts”.
– Keep an eye on the weather forecast.
Some nights the apps show poor chances and there may still be good aurora. Other nights it shows great chances but there will still be nothing. If the weather is clear to semi-clear, it’s always worth getting out to do some scouting.
You’ll need something to set the camera on, preferably a tripod. It is possible to shoot the northern lights with the newer mobile cameras but with a system camera you have more options for setting the shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Shoot on manual focus and feel free to set the focus at home before heading out into the dark. Once outside, it can be difficult to find something bright to focus on, making it harder to get good pictures.
When you’re out scouting, it’s great to have a good headlamp with you so you can easily find your way to a really dark spot. Let your eyes get used to the dark, if you don’t see anything green it might be a bit “silvery”. Try the camera, it is much more sensitive to the light than the eyes.
During this time before there is ice and snow on the lakes, it is effective to watch the northern lights at a lake to see the reflections in the water. Here in Storuman Lapland we have many great places near the community where you can see the northern lights. Fill a thermos with something good to drink, charge your camera and headlamp and head out into the darkness!
