What is the best season for aurora photography?

Suppose you agree that aurora photography is a category of landscape photography. In that case, the best season is when your chances of seeing the aurora are high and the landscape is most beautiful. When is it?

Autumn in Lapland is an incredible time for aurora photography

There are a few factors to consider. Geomagnetic activity throughout the year, probability of the clear sky, weather conditions, aurora season in a specific region, and how the landscape looks in different seasons. Okay, let's review these factors and find our leader - the best season for aurora photography.

Geomagnetic activity

Twice a year, the earth’s relative position to the sun causes more significant geomagnetic storms. That happens around the spring and autumn equinox. This means more active auroras in March - mid-April and September - mid-October. So, we have two leaders here.

Dark hours and polar day

As the aurora is much more frequent in the polar region, you have to consider that it's too bright there to see the aurora from the end of April till the end of August. At the same time, dark hours are much longer in the winter months. This is often considered an essential advantage of the winter. Yes, but the aurora is most active around midnight, between 10pm and 2am. Thus I would only give the winter a little more points than the autumn and spring months here. In the summer, you can see the aurora only in the lower latitudes, which happens less frequently. So, spring and autumn are still our leaders, then winter months, then summer at the end.

Clear sky

It's the most vital and, at the same time, the most unpredictable factor in aurora photography. The weather can differ drastically from one year to another. Add to it climate change, and we could stop here. Also, look at the statistics from different aurora regions. You'll find that your chances of having a clear sky are usually higher in the summer and early fall and in the middle of the winter but more or less the same throughout the year.

More importantly, partly cloudy conditions are more common than clear or cloudy ones. You'll likely find one with a partially clear sky if you check the weather in a few locations. In the winter, getting to the place could be more difficult because of the road conditions.

So, early fall keeps the lead, then early spring, then the middle of the winter.

Beauty of landscapes

That's where the winter shines in northern regions. Snow-covered landscapes illuminated by the moon are absolutely fantastic. While the fall landscapes can be more attractive during the day, it's too dark at night to show all the beauty. But in the fall, you have more chances to capture the aurora reflection. Around the spring equinox, the landscapes are usually not that interesting, with white snow on the ground but frozen lakes and trees that look black at night without snow.

So far, the best northern lights season is September. January and February follow closely. And the best time for southern lights is March-April.

Weather conditions

The weather can be a big challenge in winter. Particularly in the polar regions. Freezing cold temperatures, strong winds, avalanches, closed roads, and extreme driving conditions. It could be an obstacle if you are not ready for that. That makes early fall even more attractive for aurora photography.