The Ultimate Guide to Capturing the Northern Lights with Your Android Phone
The biggest geomagnetic storm in over 20 years is hitting the Earth this weekend, and it’s leading to the Northern Lights being visible in huge portions of the Northern hemisphere. Here’s how to take a picture of the Northern Lights using a Google Pixel smartphone or other Android devices.
What Are the Northern Lights and Where Are They Visible?
The Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, are caused by solar storms passing by the Earth, with the charged particles interacting with gases in the atmosphere. Typically, they are only visible in far north portions of the globe. However, this weekend, they can be seen in parts of the globe that rarely witness this natural phenomenon, including wide portions of the United States.
Preparing Your Phone for Northern Lights Photography
To capture stunning Northern Lights photos, you’ll need two things: a dark environment with minimal light pollution and a tripod. Mount your Android phone on the tripod and have the camera app ready.
Google Pixel: Utilizing Astrophotography and Night Sight Mode
Open the camera app on your Google Pixel smartphone and switch to the “Night Sight” mode, which can be found along the bottom bar. If the Northern Lights are clearly visible to your eye, you can capture them using Night Sight mode alone. However, to capture more detail, use the long-exposure mode called “astrophotography.”
To trigger astrophotography on your Pixel, ensure your phone is mounted on a steady tripod and placed on a steady surface. After a few seconds of remaining still, a star icon will appear on the shutter button. Gently tap the button to initiate the process, which can take up to 4 minutes.
After the shot is complete, your phone will process the image and provide you with a still photo and a time-lapse of the shot, making it especially enjoyable for capturing the Northern Lights.
Other Android Devices: Utilizing Night Mode
Although many Android phones may not have dedicated astrophotography modes, you can still capture a good shot using their standard night modes. Most phones, including Samsung Galaxy devices, will switch to night mode automatically when it’s dark enough.
To get the best results, follow these steps:
- If you can see the Northern Lights with the naked eye, your phone’s standard night mode can likely capture an image of it as well.
- If the aurora is barely visible, you may need to enter manual shooting mode and enable long exposure options.
- For modern Samsung Galaxy devices, access the long-exposure feature either under the dedicated “Night” mode or the “Pro” mode, where you can adjust the exposure speed to 5 or 6 seconds.
- Make sure you use a tripod to keep your phone stable.
Do You Have Incredible Northern Lights Photos?
If you’ve followed this guide to capture breathtaking pictures of the Northern Lights with your Android phone, share your amazing shots in the comments!
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