northern lights | EarthSky

Swirling green aurora over sharp mountains with a reflection in a foreground lake.

See the best northern lights photos of 2025

The blog Capture the Atlas announced its 2025 Northern Lights Photographer of the Year contest. See 10 of the best northern lights photos here.

Mountainous landscape with water in the front and the Milky Way and streaks of color in the sky.

See the best northern lights photos of 2024

The blog Capture the Atlas announced its 2024 Northern Lights Photographer of the Year contest. See 10 of the best northern lights photos here.

A lighthouse along a shoreline under vertical red and green streaks above distant clouds, the aurora reflected on the water.

See the best northern lights photos of 2023

The blog Capture the Atlas announced its best northern lights photos of 2023. You can see some of the best aurora photos in the world here.

Deep snow covering evergreen trees until the tops bend sideways. Green and purple lights in the sky.

10 best northern lights photos of 2022

The blog “Capture the Atlas” announced its best northern lights photos of 2022. You can see 10 of the best aurora photos in the world here.

Green swirls over a dark blue sky with an icy ship stuck on shore.

10 best northern lights photos of 2021

The blog “Capture the Atlas” announced its 2021 Northern Lights Photographer of the Year contest. You can see 10 of the best aurora photos in the world here.

Northern lights caused green-colored clouds

Northern lights over Jämtland, Sweden.

Snowy night landscape with a bright green light across the sky.

Magnetic north is shifting fast. What’ll happen to the northern lights?

As magnetic north shifts increasingly away from the geologic north pole - towards Siberia - studies suggest the northern lights could move with it.

Northern lights over Sweden

Photographer Jörgen Andersson captured the northern lights over Sweden on October 7, 2018.

Northern lights and north star. STEVE?

Steve Bellavia caught this unusual aurora last night, pointing directly to the North Star. Could it be the newly identified Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, aka STEVE?

Northern lights over Alberta, Canada

Enjoy this night sky video timelapse by Jack Fusco featuring frozen lakes, fog inversions, and of course the northern lights!

Minnesota northern lights

Judy Allen captured this image on September 28, 2017.

Will I see the northern lights tonight?

Answers to commonly asked questions about seeing one of nature's wonders: the aurora borealis or northern lights.

Northern lights from the air

Photos of the aurora borealis, or northern lights, shot from an airplane over the icy Canadian landscape and approximate North Pole.

Beauty of the northern lights

Gorgeous 5-minute video of the northern lights in February and March 2016 - captured in still images, panoramas, time-lapse and real-time videos.

Northern lights reflections, in Maine

A meteor streaks overhead ... an aurora reflects in a pond.

Video: Dance of the Northern Lights

A quiet night for auroras at Churchill, Manitoba, Canada - located at at 58° North, under the auroral oval - is a spectacular auroral display for most of us.

Chinese rocket breaks up in northern lights

Lucky observers in western North America saw bright lights streaking in the sky Monday night - the disintegration of a Chinese rocket body. Photo and videos here!

Expect northern lights on January 9-10

2014 unleashed its first X-flare of 2014 on January 7. Space weather experts are calling for a good display of auroras.

Northern lights over Montana

Northern Lights from top of Beartooth Pass, Montana, by EarthSky Facebook friend Kevin Harrell

Northern lights over Wisconsin last night

Earth's geomagnetic field flared into a moderate storm last night, causing northern lights sightings as far south as the northern U.S.

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See the best northern lights photos of 2025

See the best northern lights photos of 2024

See the best northern lights photos of 2023

10 best northern lights photos of 2022

10 best northern lights photos of 2021

Northern lights caused green-colored clouds

Magnetic north is shifting fast. What’ll happen to the northern lights?

Northern lights over Sweden

Northern lights and north star. STEVE?

Northern lights over Alberta, Canada

Minnesota northern lights

Will I see the northern lights tonight?

Northern lights from the air

Beauty of the northern lights

Northern lights reflections, in Maine

Video: Dance of the Northern Lights

Chinese rocket breaks up in northern lights

Expect northern lights on January 9-10

Northern lights over Montana

Northern lights over Wisconsin last night