#Northern lights michigan how to#
This article from astrophotography expert Trevor Jones includes tips on how to get started taking pictures of the Milky Way, including when to plan for the best shots (hint: between April and September in a dark sky location, during a new moon phase).
#Northern lights michigan manual#
With your digital camera set to manual mode and a tripod you can capture images with more detail than your eye can see. Find out what exposure settings are possible with your camera model and use a tripod as a mount for your phone to keep it steady during the exposure.Įven amateur photographers can learn to photograph the night sky with a digital SLR camera. Some astrophotography, like aurora photography, requires a long exposure, so it is difficult for many cellphone camera users. Astrophotography is the practice of taking pictures of the dark sky and celestial objects or phenomena like galaxies, the Milky Way and the Northern Lights. Taking pictures of the Northern Lights or any other astronomical phenomena takes practice and skill-but it’s certainly fun to get started. Tips for Northern Lights and dark sky photography Some of the best local spots in the Marquette area for seeing the Northern Lights are Wetmore Landing on Little Presque Isle on County 550, Presque Isle Park in Marquette proper, and the M28 beaches along Lake Superior near Au Train. For safety in navigating through unfamiliar areas, it’s best to look for accessible and secure locations during the daylight hours, so you’ve scoped it out before sunset. Minimize your use of screens or, at minimum, use the “nighttime” setting on your smartphone or tablet. April, October, and November being the peak months.
In addition, look for spots away from overhead lights (like streetlamps or parking lot lights) with an open view of the northern sky, as you’ll be looking toward the pole. Best Time to See the Northern Lights August through April are the best months to view the aurora in Michigan. Although Marquette doesn’t have as much light pollution as larger cities, you’ll still want to be away from the city. If you’re interested in seeing the Northern Lights while here in Marquette or in the broader Upper Peninsula, there are a few things to keep in mind. There are also tips on specific roads, pull-out viewing locations, and more from more than 5,000 curious and passionate aurora chasers! In this Facebook group, you can ask experts for tips and read posts on where and when people have seen the Northern Lights. One of the best local Michigan information sources is the Michigan Aurora Chasers. In the Upper Peninsula, your best chances of seeing the Northern Lights are during conditions in which the K-index is K5, K6, or K7, though sometimes they can be seen at a K4 (these are also known as G1, G2, or G3 storms). The swaths of color across the polar region in the OPRT map will also show you the general areas in which the aurora may be visible. When the map lights up with yellow, orange, or red, it’s “go time!” This means that conditions are active and with the right dark-sky viewing conditions, your chance of seeing the Northern Lights is higher. One of the best sources of information is the OVATION Prime Real-Time Tool (OPRT), which maps aurora activity for the northern hemisphere, refreshing every five minutes. Fortunately, there are aurora forecasts that you can monitor to up your chances of actually seeing the Northern Lights. Success of course depends on solar activity and when these solar wind particles actually reach Earth’s atmosphere.
While the Northern Lights can be seen year-round, the peak season for viewing them is September to April. They didn't last long that evening, only for about 15 minutes, but I was glad I was in the right place at the right time to finally see them.Tips to increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights
To my surprise I had indeed caught an image of the northern lights! Finally after years of trying I can now say I have seen the northern lights. I aimed my smartphone skyward and held it very still while snapping a few pictures. Even smartphone cameras can do a pretty good of catching the northern lights and their colors. The lights are usually more visible through the lens of a camera. Within about 30 minutes you could see some weird formations in the sky that were just barely visible to the human eye - but you could tell something was going on. I grabbed a folding lawn chair and headed off to a park alongside the shore of Lake Superior in Ironwood, MI - and gazed into the northern skies. I saw the forecast was good and the skies were clear. The shoreline of Lake Superior is a great place to see the. While on vacation in the Upper Peninsula just after Labor Day, I finally got a chance to see these illusive lights. Upper Peninsula, Michigan: The further north you travel, the more likely you are to see the aurora on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I Finally Saw the Northern Lights on Vacation
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