This year has been a stellar one for spotting the northern lights. Thanks to high levels of solar activity in 2024, the aurora borealis has been amazingly active, brightening up night skies in unusual places – much further south than is typical – and being spotted (and photographed) by more people than ever before.
But, let’s be honest, did that blurry smudge of pink on your camera roll actually capture the true beauty of this wonderous phenomena? We didn’t think so.
Luckily, plenty of serious photographers managed to take snaps of the northern lights this year as it danced in the skies above them. These are the cream of the crop: 25 of the most mesmerising shots of the northern lights, taken in places you would expect and plenty you wouldn’t. Like Tenerife, where photographer Efrén Yanes unexpectedly caught the aurora entirely by chance and southern Arizona, where Lynsey Schroeder managed to capture the display over the desert and the UK’s Dartmoor National Park.
The full line up of winners of the Northern Lights Photographer of the Year 2024 can be gazed at here, but here are some of our favourites:
Fancy some more otherwordly beauty to stare at? These are the winners from last year. Or, if you’re inspired to attempt your own photography, check out the best places to see the Northern Lights in the world.
Did you see Notre Dame is finally reopening this week?
Plus: Your guide to the 14 best winter destinations in Europe.
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