The Auroras Should Be Spectacular This Summer, Thanks to Solar Maximum

https://www.wired.com/story/solar-maximum-aurora-northern-lights-2024-cme-sunspots/

by unripe_syntax • 2 years ago

18 9 2 years ago

hoseja• 2 years ago

What are good ways to capture auroras with smartphone cameras? During the recent big aurora I've found sideloaded GCam's Night Sight on my half a decade old phone to be acceptable while my gf with a newer handset couldn't get any good photos even with manual mode, what other alternatives are there?

SushiHippie• 2 years ago

I got the best results with the google camera app and using the astrophotography mode (may be something limited to Pixel Phones?)

The mode gets activated when your phone doesn't move for a few seconds while you have the 'Night Sight' tab open.

In this mode, the photo will take 2-5 minutes, but the results are worth it. It feels like you can see every single star with it. It also (sometimes?) creates a timelapse, which was really cool, when I photographed to aurora, as you could see it moving in the timelapse. (It was very faint where I life, so I couldn't just take a video to see it)

rom16384• 2 years ago

For the iPhone you should be able to use the NightCap camera app [1], it can stack multiple exposures.

[1] https://nightcapcamera.com/aurora-photography-photograph-the...

Valgrim2• 2 years ago

If your camera app has a manual setting, set a 5 second timer and a 30 seconds exposure, then put it on the floor, face down and camera up.

If you want to angle it in a specific direction, a small plastic bag with sand, earth or rice in it will provide a polyvalent, portable and stable support.

rapjr92• 2 years ago

Full color night vision cameras can be useful for seeing aurora when the human eye can not. I have a Sionyx Aurora (appropriately named!) that could see red light through light cloud cover when I could see nothing at all myself during the recent aurora. Somewhat expensive though. Maybe security cameras with full color night vision would work well?

https://reolink.com/blog/starlight-ip-cameras-definition-and...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8SwkrufNhc

Anyone have any security camera recommendations for capturing aurora?

Valgrim2• 2 years ago

The simplest capture device you need, you probably own already. A long manual exposure of around 30 seconds will give out magnificent pictures even with the most potato of cameras

rapjr92• 2 years ago

I was thinking of capturing video, not stills. The changes an aurora goes through are awesome and it happens fast enough that long exposures, while still creating interesting pictures, don't capture any of the fine structure.

caphector• 2 years ago

I didn’t use a security camera; I built a sky camera. It has a 140 degree fisheye lens with a Pi HQ camera (I might replace the camera). Built a waterproof case and it’s been living on my roof. It recorded the aurora over the SF/Bay Area. Not super spectacular but I was exited. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Pkks7PWzpSM

norwalkbear• 2 years ago

Uhh does that mean cancer rates go up?

The Auroras Should Be Spectacular This Summer, Thanks to Solar Maximum

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