Aurora

Articles and guides on the phenomenon known as aurora

Aurora over Lough Neagh. Credit: Stephen Wallace/ Hibernia Landscapes

What causes the different shapes and colours of the aurora?

Aurora over Estonia, 18 March 2015, captured by Kristian Pikner. Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:KristianPikner

A brief history of aurora science

The Northern Lights blaze a path through a valley leading away from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano. Credit: REUTERS / Lucas Jackson

How Cluster is uncovering the secrets of the aurora

James’s final processed image shows delicate harmony between landscape and aurora. Credit: James Woodend

Astrophoto guides

Image processing How to create balanced auroral landscapes

Capturing the sounds of the aurora. Credit: ThinkStock

Recording the sound of the aurora borealis

An image of the aurora over Earth, as seen from the International Space Station on 26 June 2017. Credit: NASA

What causes the Northern Lights?

Aurora imaged over Inari, Finland. Credit: Yuichi Yokota / EyeEm / GettyImages

Looking for the Northern Lights: how to find the aurora by yourself

A false-colour image showing aurorae hovering over Saturn’s south polar region. Credit: VIMS Team, U. Arizona, U. Leicester, JPL, ASI, NASA

What do aurorae look like on other planets?

Aurora Over Teepees, Yellowknife. Credit: iStock/ Getty Images

A traveller’s guide to aurora hunting

For those of us unable to see the aurorae, there’s another way to experience the effects of the solar wind on Earth’s atmopshere. Credit: Getty Images

Can’t see the aurora? You can detect it with a homemade magnetometer

Mariusz Szymaszek, Garðskagi lighthouse, Iceland, 2 February 2016. Equipment: Sony A7S camera, Samyang 14mm lens.

Astrophotography

Gallery Best readers' images of the aurora

A good chance of catching the aurora is just one of the highlights of Swedish Lapland. Credit: Visit Lapland

Aurora adventures: visiting Swedish Lapland for the Northern Lights

Follow our tips and techniques and you too can capture the spectacle of a beautiful auroral display. Image Credit: Jamie Carter

Astrophoto guides

How do you take photographs of the aurora?

Steve the aurora shines over Childs Lake, Manitoba, Canada, crossing over the Milky Way Credit: Krista Trinder

What’s up with Steve the aurora?

An image of the aurora. Credit: Pete Lawrence

Flying to the Northern Lights