How to Take Picture of the Northern Lights With Smartphone

How to set up your phone for Northern Lights photography

Capturing vibrant, professional-looking photos of the Northern Lights in 2026 is entirely possible without a DSLR. By mastering a few manual adjustments, you can turn your smartphone into a powerful low-light camera.

Follow this step-by-step guide to optimize your settings for the best possible aurora shots.

1. Use a Tripod

Stability is key when photographing in low light. Even the slightest movement can blur your photo during a long exposure. A tripod keeps your phone steady and ensures sharp, focused shots of the aurora. If you don't have, you can use rock or other items around you to stabilize the phone.

2. Enable Night Mode or Manual/Pro Mode

If your phone has a Night Mode, enable it. For more control, switch to Manual or Pro Mode (available on many Android devices and newer iPhones).

Here the setting on your phone camera that you need to adjust:

• ISO: Start at ISO 800–1600. You can increase it if the aurora is faint, but keep in mind that higher ISO can cause more noise (graininess) in the photo.
• Shutter Speed: Set it between 5 to 15 seconds. This allows enough time to capture the moving lights but not so long that stars blur into trails.
• Focus: Manually focus to infinity or tap on a distant light source and lock the focus. This ensures the aurora and stars are in sharp detail.

3. Turn off flash!

Using your phone's flash will not only ruin your shot by overpowering the natural light of the aurora, but it can also disturb other aurora hunters nearby who are trying to enjoy or photograph the display in darkness.

4. Use a timer or remote shutter (if you have one)

This helps prevent any movement when taking the photo. Keeping your phone completely still is essential for capturing clear, sharp images of the Northern Lights.

With the right camera settings and a bit of patience, you can take incredible photos of the Northern Lights using just your smartphone. Practice makes perfect, and every night sky offers a new chance to improve your skills!

👀 Watch this video on how to take a photo of the Northern Lights with an iPhone.

Where is the best place to see the Northern Lights

Location research

Finding a good spot with low light conditions and a clear sky is the key when hunting the Northern Lights. Look at the light pollution and find places where it has the low light conditions and use the cloud coverage map on Hello Aurora app to see where the sky is open.

📷 Tips: with Hello Aurora app you can see where people spotted the Northern Lights in real-time. With this it will give you a hint on where the aurora is visible during that night.

Understand Light Pollution

If you have already understood and know how the aurora forecast work, the next thing you need to consider before driving out to photograph the Northern Lights is the light pollution 🚗

Light pollution is the name for the brightening of the night in the sky that is caused by us (humans) such as the street lights and city lights. To get a better scene for Northern Lights and spot them better you will need to find a dark place far from the city where you can see stars clearly. If you are a tourist in the Northern Lights countries finding a location might be scary for you but don’t worry there are many Lights pollution tools available online for you, you can simply search “Light pollution map” on a search engine and choose one that suits you.

Why avoid light pollution when hunting the Northern Lights?

The street lights and city lights create a hue over the city which makes it difficult to see the colour of the aurora when the aurora activity is not strong.

Therefore for a better photo shoot and better experience, it’s better to drive to the countryside and avoid light pollution! You can check the aurora strength easily on our aurora forecast app 📱

What to bring on your Northern Lights hunting trip

Bringing just your smartphone is absolutely fine, but there are a few tools that can make your experience much easier and more enjoyable. Let us walk you through the essentials!

Aurora Forecast app

Hello Aurora help you track real-time aurora activity, weather conditions, and cloud coverage, all in one place. You can even receive alerts when the Northern Lights are visible nearby. It is a must-have for planning your night and not missing out!

Extra battery or power bank

Cold temperatures drain batteries quickly. Whether you are using a phone or a camera, make sure to bring a fully charged power bank or spare batteries. You do not want to run out of power just as the aurora starts to dance!

Flashlight (Preferably red light)

Most of your aurora hunting will happen at night in very dark areas. A red flashlight is ideal, it helps you see where you are walking without ruining your night vision or disturbing other photographers. Safety first! You do not want to trip over rocks or step on thin ice.

Tripod

A tripod is a must if you plan to take long exposure shots like we mentioned above. It keeps your camera stable and your photos sharp. If you do not have a tripod, look around, you might be able to use a rock or another stable surface in a pinch.

Warm clothing

Photographing the Northern Lights often requires waiting outdoors for long periods, sometimes in freezing conditions. Layer up with thermal clothing, waterproof outerwear, gloves, a hat, and warm boots. Comfort is key to staying patient and enjoying the experience.

Hot drinks

Bring along a thermos filled with tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or any warm beverage you enjoy. Standing outside in the cold for hours will feel much cosier with something warm to sip. It also adds a lovely, romantic touch to the night.

Best smartphone for Northern Lights photography in 2026

There have been numerous smartphones that help you take photo of the Northern Lights if you don’t have a camera. Capturing the Northern Lights with your smartphone requires more than just a high megapixel count. Here are the key features to look for when choosing the best phone for aurora photography:

How to choose the best phone's camera for Northern Lights

• Manual or Pro Mode
  A phone with manual (Pro) mode is essential. This feature allows you to adjust key settings like shutter speed, ISO, and focus which all crucial for night photography. Some phones even come with dedicated Astrophotography Mode or Night Mode, which are specifically designed to enhance low-light shots. Look for smartphones that give you full control over these settings, either natively or through third-party apps.
• Long Exposure Capability
  The Northern Lights moves, and to capture their glow, you will need a long exposure—typically between 5 to 15 seconds. Some phones or camera apps allow you to manually set shutter speeds up to 30 seconds, which is perfect for photographing faint auroras or including stars in your shot.
• ISO Range and Noise Reduction
  ISO controls your camera’s sensitivity to light. You will need a smartphone with a wide ISO range, ideally starting from 800 and going up to 3200 or more. However, higher ISO can introduce grain and noise into your image. That is why it is important to choose a phone that also has strong noise reduction capabilities, either built-in or via software processing.
• Resolution and Pixel Size (µm)
  Most modern smartphones come with cameras that offer at least 12 megapixels, which is generally sufficient for capturing detailed photos. However, when it comes to low-light photography such as taking photo of the Northern Lights, pixel size becomes more important than resolution. Pixel size is measured in microns (µm), and larger pixels can capture more light, resulting in clearer images with less noise. Look for a phone with a larger pixel size (1.4 µm or higher). While high megapixel counts may sound impressive, they can sometimes reduce low-light performance if the pixels are too small. For aurora photography, a balance of decent resolution and large pixels is ideal.

Check out the list and find out which one fits you best! 📱🧐

See and share aurora photos from your smartphone

Experience the Northern Lights like never before with the Aurora community on Hello Aurora app. Take stunning pictures of the aurora with your smartphone and share them with other members of the community. See real-time photos of the Northern Lights from other users around the world and share your own pictures of the aurora.

Connect with other Northern Lights enthusiasts and discover the best locations to witness this incredible natural phenomenon. Don't miss out on the magic, join now!

Hooray, now you have a great Northern Lights photo. Feel free to share your aurora moments with us on Hello Aurora app and through Instagram.

FAQ

Q: Can I take a photo of the Northern Lights with a phone?
A: Absolutely! Modern smartphones can capture beautiful photos of the aurora. The trick is to keep your phone as still as possible, lean it against something or use a small tripod if you have one. Point your camera at the brightest part of the aurora or find a bright star to focus on, and you're good to go.

Q: How do I set my phone's camera to take photo of the Northern Lights?
A: Every phone is a bit different, but here's what works for most:

• Turn on Night Mode (this is the most important step)
• Tap on the brightest part of the aurora or a star to help your camera focus
• If your phone lets you adjust settings manually, increase the exposure time—the longer your camera "looks" at the lights, the more detail it captures
• Keep your phone completely still while taking the shot

Q: Do I need an app to be able to take picture of the aurora with my phone?
A: Not necessarily! Today's phone cameras are pretty impressive on their own. If your phone has Night Mode and lets you take longer exposures, your built-in camera app should work just fine.

Q: Can I record a video of the Northern Lights with my phone?
A: Yes, you can! Just keep in mind that phone video quality isn't always as good as photo quality, especially in low light. But it's definitely worth trying, there's something magical about capturing the aurora in motion. Check out our guide here for tips.

Q: Why does my camera see the Northern Lights better than I do?
A: Great question! Your phone's camera sensor is more sensitive to light than the human eye. Think of it like this: your camera can "soak up" light over several seconds, while your eyes only see what's there in that instant. That's why the photos often look more colorful and detailed than what you're seeing in real life.

Q: Is an iPhone good enough to capture the Northern Lights?

A: Yes. Any model from the iPhone 11 Pro and newer is capable of capturing the aurora. Using Night Mode and a tripod, these devices can handle the long exposures needed to photograph vibrant colors and sharp details, even in low-light conditions.