A heavenly phenomenon. The celestial phenomenon we know as the Northern Lights has fascinated people in the northern hemisphere throughout history. Listen to photographer Mikael Jonsson tell the story.
The phenomenon of the Northern Lights
How would you describe the phenomenon of the Northern Lights to someone who has never experienced it?
Depending on the strength of the Northern Lights, it usually looks a little different. It can range from a faint green band near the horizon that looks more like haze to the naked eye, to dancing curtains across the entire sky. When we have really strong northern lights, the colours are usually blue-green-purple. It's really cool to stand there under a dancing sky!
When is the best time to experience the northern lights?
Personally, I've had the most luck in autumn and early spring with the really powerful outbreaks, but you can see the Northern Lights as soon as we have sufficiently dark nights. From the end of August until April, it is possible to experience it. It is the sun's activity that causes the Northern Lights, and we are now entering a period of a few years where the sun's activity will increase, giving us a better chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
What should you keep in mind when photographing the Northern Lights?
In many cases, a reasonably modern phone set to night mode will suffice for photographing the Northern Lights. If you are in a relatively dark place, it is no problem at all to get good pictures this way; I sometimes do it myself. If you want to take photos with a system camera, it's good to use as wide an angle as possible so that you can capture as much of the sky as possible. We want as much light as possible, so we open the aperture to the maximum and I usually use a shutter speed of around 5 seconds and ISO 1600 - 3200. The Northern Lights can move quite quickly across the sky, so we don't want to use too long a shutter speed. Finally, we need some way of keeping the camera completely still, so a tripod is useful. It is certainly possible to rest the camera against something and point it upwards, but it is much easier with a tripod.
Where are the best places in the High Coast to see the Northern Lights?
You can think of the Northern Lights as an oval around the poles. The stronger the Northern Lights, the further down the globe this oval will travel. The High Coast is a relatively small area, so what can be seen in the northern parts will also be visible in the southern parts. However, you should try to find a dark place with a clear view to the north (it is to the north that you will see the Northern Lights, unless they are really strong and you see them directly overhead). It is possible to see it even in built-up areas, but it is much easier if you are somewhere dark, as your eyes will have adjusted and you will be able to make things out more easily. So, anywhere in the High Coast, as long as you have a clear view to the north and preferably in a dark place.
Are there other natural phenomena that you like to photograph?
I find it particularly enjoyable to photograph the moon, the Northern Lights and the starry sky in general. You can really get creative when photographing these subjects. While it can be quite frustrating when clouds come and ruin the shot or when the Northern Lights forecast is completely wrong, it is incredibly rewarding when everything comes together!