Key Facts
- iPhone 11 and later support Night mode, which automatically activates in low light
- Aurora photos typically require 3–10 second exposures — the phone must remain perfectly still
- A tripod or stable surface is essential for sharp aurora images
- Turn off flash — it ruins night vision and has no effect on something 100+ km away
- Night mode activates automatically when the camera detects low-light conditions
- ProRAW on Pro models (iPhone 12 Pro and later) gives the best editing flexibility in post-processing
- Strong aurora displays (KP 5+) produce the best phone photos — brighter light means shorter exposures and sharper results
Which iPhones Can Photograph the Aurora?
Not all iPhones are equal when it comes to aurora photography. The key feature is Night mode, which was introduced with the iPhone 11 in 2019. Night mode uses computational photography to combine multiple frames during a long exposure, producing bright, detailed images in conditions where older phones would capture nothing but black.
iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max
The first iPhones with Night mode. The main wide camera supports Night mode with exposures up to 30 seconds when the phone is mounted on a tripod (the camera detects stability and extends the maximum exposure time). These phones can capture aurora, though image quality is noticeably better on newer models.
iPhone 12 Pro and later Pro models
Night mode is available on all cameras — wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto. This is significant for aurora photography because the ultra-wide lens captures more sky in a single frame, and Night mode on the front camera means you can take aurora selfies. The LiDAR scanner on Pro models also improves autofocus in darkness.
iPhone 14 Pro / 14 Pro Max
The 48MP main sensor captures significantly more detail than the 12MP sensors in earlier models. When shooting in ProRAW, the full 48MP resolution is available, giving you dramatically more flexibility for cropping and editing aurora images.
iPhone 15 Pro / 16 Pro and later
These models combine the 48MP sensor with the latest image signal processor and improved computational photography. ProRAW and ProRAW Max formats preserve maximum image data. If you own one of these phones, you have a genuinely capable aurora camera in your pocket.
Camera Settings for Aurora Photography
Night Mode
Night mode is the foundation of iPhone aurora photography. When you open the Camera app in a dark environment, a moon icon appears in the top-left corner of the screen — this indicates Night mode has activated automatically. Tap the icon to adjust the exposure duration.
For aurora, you want the longest exposure the phone will allow. When handheld, the maximum is typically 3–5 seconds. When mounted on a tripod or placed on a stable surface, the camera detects the stability and extends the maximum to 10–30 seconds. This is why a tripod matters so much — it doesn't just prevent blur, it unlocks longer exposures that capture far more light.
Use the built-in timer (3 or 10 seconds) to avoid touching the phone when the shutter fires. Even the act of tapping the shutter button introduces vibration that can blur a multi-second exposure. Set the timer, tap the shutter, and step away.
Manual Controls (Pro Models)
If you have an iPhone 12 Pro or later, you can shoot in Apple ProRAW format. Open Settings > Camera > Formats and enable Apple ProRAW. When shooting, tap the RAW toggle in the Camera app to activate it.
ProRAW captures the full sensor data without the aggressive noise reduction and compression that HEIF/JPEG applies. This matters for aurora photos because the default processing often smooths out fine aurora structure and shifts colors. With ProRAW, you control the final look in post-processing.
For the best results with manual control, set ISO between 800 and 3200. Lower ISO produces cleaner images but requires longer exposures. Higher ISO captures more light in shorter exposures but introduces noise. For bright aurora (KP 5+), ISO 800–1600 with a 10–15 second exposure is a good starting point. For fainter aurora, push to ISO 3200 with 20–30 second exposures.
Third-Party Camera Apps
Apps like NightCap Camera and ProCam offer manual control over exposure time, ISO, focus, and white balance — parameters that the built-in Camera app handles automatically. These apps are particularly useful for older iPhones that lack Night mode, or when you want precise control over exposure settings.
NightCap Camera has a dedicated aurora mode that optimizes settings for northern lights photography. It stacks multiple long exposures to reduce noise and increase detail. ProCam offers full manual control similar to what you'd find on a DSLR, including manual focus lock — useful because autofocus can hunt in dark conditions, wasting precious seconds of a good display.
Essential Gear
Aurora photography with an iPhone requires minimal gear, but a few items make the difference between a blurry snapshot and a photo worth printing.
Tripod
The single most important accessory. Even a small, flexible tripod like the Joby GorillaPod works well — wrap it around a fence post, rock, or car mirror. Full-size tripods provide the most stability, but any tripod is infinitely better than holding the phone by hand. If you forgot your tripod, prop the phone against a rock, tree, or backpack.
Phone Mount
A simple spring-loaded phone mount that attaches to a standard tripod thread. These cost a few dollars and are essential if your tripod doesn't include one. Make sure the mount holds the phone securely — a phone falling off a tripod at −20°C is not ideal.
Extra Battery / Power Bank
Cold weather is the biggest enemy of phone batteries. Lithium-ion batteries lose capacity rapidly below freezing — a fully charged iPhone can drop from 80% to dead in under an hour at −15°C. Carry a power bank and keep it inside your jacket, close to your body, where your body heat keeps it warm. Connect it to your phone with a short cable when the battery starts dropping.
Hand Warmers
Chemical hand warmers serve double duty: they keep your fingers functional for operating the phone, and you can tuck one next to your phone or power bank to keep the batteries warm. Cold fingers are slow fingers, and you don't want to fumble with settings while the aurora is peaking overhead.
Red Headlamp
A headlamp with a red-light mode lets you see your phone screen, adjust settings, and navigate without destroying your night vision. White light from a regular flashlight or phone screen set to full brightness will constrict your pupils, and it takes 20–30 minutes for your eyes to fully readapt to darkness. Red light preserves night adaptation.
Step-by-Step: Taking Your First Aurora Photo
When the aurora alert comes and you're heading out with your iPhone, here's exactly what to do:
1. Find a dark location away from lights
Get away from streetlights, porch lights, and car headlights. Even a few hundred meters from light sources makes a significant difference. Face away from any remaining light pollution — ideally toward the north (or south in the southern hemisphere). The darker your surroundings, the more aurora detail your phone will capture.
2. Set up your tripod or find a stable surface
Mount your phone on the tripod and angle it toward the aurora. If you don't have a tripod, prop the phone against a rock, fence post, car roof, or any stable object. The phone must remain completely motionless during the entire exposure — even a slight vibration will produce a blurry image.
3. Open the Camera app and wait for Night Mode
The moon icon should appear automatically within a second or two. If it doesn't, make sure you're in Photo mode (not Video or Portrait). Tap the moon icon and drag the exposure slider to the maximum available time.
4. Set a timer to avoid touching the phone
Tap the timer icon (top of the screen) and select 3 or 10 seconds. This gives you time to tap the shutter and remove your hand before the exposure begins. Touching the phone during a multi-second exposure introduces vibration that shows up as blur in the final image.
5. Take multiple shots — conditions change rapidly
Aurora is dynamic. Colors shift, curtains move, and intensity varies from minute to minute. Take many photos with different compositions and exposure times. Some of the best aurora moments last only 30–60 seconds. Shoot continuously during active displays.
6. Include foreground for composition
A sky full of green light is impressive, but the best aurora photos include foreground elements that provide scale and context. Trees silhouetted against the aurora, mountains on the horizon, a still lake reflecting the lights, a cabin with a warm window — these elements transform a nice photo into a memorable one.
Common Mistakes
Even experienced aurora chasers make these errors. Avoid them and your success rate will be much higher.
Holding the phone by hand
This is the number one reason aurora photos come out blurry. No matter how steady you think your hands are, you cannot hold a phone motionless for 3–10 seconds. Your heartbeat alone creates enough vibration to blur the image. Always use a tripod or stable surface.
Using flash
The flash on your iPhone has an effective range of about 3 meters. The aurora is 100–300 kilometers above you. Flash does nothing except destroy your night vision and wash out any foreground in the image. Make sure flash is off — tap the lightning bolt icon and select the crossed-out option.
Not charging the battery
Cold weather drains batteries dramatically. Start with a full charge and bring a power bank. Keep the power bank warm inside your jacket. A phone that dies at 40% battery in −15°C is not a malfunction — it's basic chemistry. Lithium-ion cells lose voltage in cold, and the phone shuts down to protect the battery.
Over-editing
It's tempting to crank up saturation and contrast in post-processing, but over-edited aurora photos look unnatural. The green becomes neon, purple turns to magenta, and noise becomes amplified. Aurora photos look best with subtle adjustments — slight exposure boost, gentle vibrance increase, and modest noise reduction. Let the natural colors speak.
Not taking video
Many aurora chasers focus exclusively on still photos and forget that iPhone video can capture aurora too, especially during strong displays. Time-lapse mode can produce stunning results — set up the phone on a tripod, switch to time-lapse, and let it run for 15–30 minutes. The compressed footage of dancing aurora is often more impressive than any single still image.
Editing Aurora Photos on iPhone
The built-in Photos app provides all the editing tools you need for aurora photos. Open the image, tap Edit, and work through these adjustments in order:
Exposure: Increase slightly (+0.2 to +0.5) to brighten the aurora without blowing out highlights. Night mode photos are sometimes slightly underexposed, and a small boost brings out detail in the aurora structure.
Vibrance: Increase modestly (+10 to +25). Vibrance boosts muted colors without oversaturating already-vivid tones — exactly what you want for aurora. Avoid the Saturation slider, which affects all colors equally and quickly makes aurora photos look artificial.
Noise reduction: Apply moderately. Night mode photos contain some noise, especially at higher ISO values. The noise reduction slider in Photos smooths grain without destroying detail when used sparingly. Over-applying it makes the image look painterly and soft.
Crop and straighten: Straighten the horizon if it's tilted. Crop to remove distracting elements at the edges — light pollution on one side, or an overly dark area with no detail. The rule of thirds works well: place the horizon at the lower third with aurora filling the upper two-thirds.
If you shot in ProRAW, you have significantly more latitude for these adjustments. RAW files preserve highlight and shadow detail that HEIF/JPEG discards, so you can push exposure and color adjustments further without introducing artifacts.
Time-Lapse and Video
iPhone time-lapse mode is surprisingly effective for aurora. Mount the phone on a tripod, switch to Time-lapse mode in the Camera app, and let it record for 15–30 minutes during an active display. The iPhone automatically adjusts frame timing based on how long you record, compressing the footage into a smooth, accelerated video.
During strong geomagnetic storms (KP 7+), the aurora can be bright enough for standard video mode to capture usable footage. The latest iPhone Pro models with their improved sensors can record aurora movement in real-time video during the most intense displays — something that was impossible on phones just a few years ago.
For the most cinematic results, try recording in 4K at 24fps during a strong storm. The lower frame rate allows more light per frame, and the 4K resolution preserves fine aurora detail. You'll need a very bright display for this to work — KP 7+ with active, fast-moving curtains directly overhead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you photograph the northern lights with an iPhone?
Yes. iPhone 11 and later models with Night mode can capture aurora, especially during strong displays (KP 5+). Pro models with ProRAW offer even more flexibility for post-processing.
What iPhone settings are best for aurora?
Use Night mode with the longest available exposure (10–30 seconds). Place the phone on a tripod or stable surface. Turn off flash. On Pro models, shoot in ProRAW for maximum editing flexibility.
Do I need a tripod for aurora photos?
Yes — or at minimum a stable surface. Night mode uses long exposures of 3–30 seconds, and any movement during that time will blur the image. Even a small flexible tripod makes a significant difference.
Why do my aurora photos look different from what I saw?
Camera sensors are more sensitive to faint light than the human eye, so photos often show more vivid colors and detail than what you see. Conversely, if aurora is very faint, photos may show more green than you could see with your eyes.
Can I photograph the aurora with an older iPhone?
iPhone X and earlier lack Night mode and struggle in very low light. You can try third-party camera apps like NightCap that offer manual long exposure, but results will be significantly less impressive than iPhone 11 or later.
What's the best time to photograph aurora?
The best photos come during strong aurora activity (KP 5+) when the lights are bright enough for shorter exposures, reducing blur. Peak aurora often occurs between 10pm and 2am local time. Use an aurora alert app to know when conditions are right.
The Bottom Line
Your iPhone is a genuinely capable aurora camera. Night mode on iPhone 11 and later can capture stunning northern lights photos that would have required expensive DSLR setups just a few years ago. The key ingredients are simple: a tripod, a charged battery, Night mode set to maximum exposure, and a strong aurora display overhead.
Don't overthink the technical details. Get to a dark location, set up your phone on something stable, enable Night mode, use the timer, and take many shots. The aurora will do the rest.
Download Revon on the App Store to get real-time aurora forecasts and alerts — so you know exactly when to grab your iPhone and head outside.
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