Moonlight and aurora photography
How does the moon affect your chances of taking amazing aurora pictures? It's an important question you need to get an answer before planning your trip.
As you can see, the full moon made the aurora's upper red and purple parts less visible.
Moon and aurora visibility
The moon makes the sky brighter and aurora less visible. It's true. But the aurora can also be very bright. So, the moon affects only faint aurora or faint parts of the aurora. When the geomagnetic activity is low, and the moon is shining, the aurora is less prominent in the pictures. The moon also affects less luminous red and purple parts of the aurora. It makes them look dimmer or even invisible. When the geomagnetic activity is high and the aurora is bright and colorful, the moonlight can't prevent you from capturing all the beauty of the northern or southern lights.
Moon in the frame
Sometimes the moon may be positioned close to the aurora. In that case, you have an additional element of interest in the frame to consider when composing your pictures. What's even more critical, all the shades in your photo will lead the viewer's eyes to the moon. During the full moon, there's a big chance it will be somewhere behind you, and your shade will also be in the frame.
Moonlit clouds
Fast-moving clouds under the moonlight can add a sense of motion to your long-exposure aurora shots. The clouds can create leading lines or patterns in the image and enhance or challenge your overall composition.
Landscape illumination
The main advantage that the moon provides for aurora photography is landscape illumination. Moonlight is a natural light source, casting a soft glow over the landscape. This illumination allows for better visibility of the surrounding scenery, revealing details and textures that may otherwise be lost in the darkness.
Conclusion
As you can see, the aurora photography under the moonlight is much more challenging than in the darkness. You must consider shades, clouds, and the landscape's natural features when composing your photos. But moonlight creates fantastic opportunities for capturing amazing pictures of the moonlit landscape and northern or southern lights in the background.
