The Northern Lights Photographer of the Year competition showcases breathtaking aurora photos from around the world. This year’s contest features exceptional images due to increased solar activity as the Sun nears its solar maximum. Photographers captured stunning auroras in locations much farther from the poles than usual.
Award-winning shots came from places like Arizona, California, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, and Chile. Editor Dan Zafra selects the top 25 photos based on image quality, the story behind the shot, and how inspirational the photo can be. Some of the winning images include:
Tom Rae’s “Sky Fire” from Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand, featuring the Aurora Australis, Stable Auroral Red arc, and Milky Way.
Marc Adamus’s “Aurora Australis” captured in Patagonia on May 10, 2024, during a rare display. Tobias Thäle’s “Aurora Mill” showing a phenomenal display following a massive solar storm.
Worldwide aurora captures amaze viewers
Henry Frakes’s “Sky and Ice” from Aspiring National Park, New Zealand. Julien Looten’s “A Historic Night: Northern Lights at Étretat” captured in Normandy, France. Vincenzo Mazza’s “Red Wall” featuring an intense red aurora in October 2024.
David Tanis’s “Gibson Glow” from Victoria, Australia. Lynsey Schroeder’s “Looking North” taken in Southern Arizona, USA. Sergey Korolev’s “In the Rays of the Solar Wind” from the Kola Peninsula, Russia.
Josh Beames’s “Magic of the North” from Iceland. These images capture the awe and wonder inspired by the celestial events. More photos and information can be found on Capture the Atlas.
April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
