Aurora in the Northeast US
In recent years, the northern lights have been seen in locations further south than ever before. My first time seeing the aurora was 10/10/2024. I was in Tappan Zee New York. The second time was only a year later, 11/12/2025. This time I was at Hopewell Lake in Pennsylvania. The aurora in 2024 was stronger than the one in 2025, at least from my locations.
Aurora from Hopewell Lake, November 2025. F/1.4, 30 sec, ISO 100
Aurora from Tappan Zee in New York, October 2024. F/1.4, 1.6sec, ISO 400
I like the photo from New York 2024 better. It shows a clear red / green division on the left which reverses on the right side of the frame. The image from Pennsylvania 2025 shows some red spikes but very little green. The aurora was brighter in 2024. The exposure I used for this (1.6 sec, ISO 400) is about 2 stops less than the one I used in 2025 (30.0 sec, ISO 100).
To photograph the aurora, I use a tripod and wide angle lens. For both of these, I used my Canon 24mm F/1.4L. I shot both of these wide open at F/1.4. I will choose the lowest ISO possible, usually 100, and choose a shutter speed that gives me enough light to start to see color. The colors vary a lot throughout the duration of the aurora, so I make sure to take lots of photos.
Aurora at Tappan Zee, 2024
In this shot from 2024, the aurora shows bright red above and lighter green below. The exposure is the same, F/1.4, 1.6 sec, ISO 400. The Mario Cuomo bridge is bright and overexposed in this shot.
Aurora from Hopewell Lake, 2025
The aurora at Hopewell lake was intermittently brightened by headlights from the nearby parking lot. In this shot, the trees on the other side of the lake are illuminated by headlights. Yet, the aurora and the stars are still visible.
When ever I come to a situation where I am not sure what camera settings to use, I think about what I care about. I brought my brightest aperture wide angle lens. So I use all the aperture I can: F/1.4. I want to minimize noise, so I start with low ISO. I use a tripod so I can use a long exposure. I choose the shutter speed to collect enough light for the situation. Between the two cases, I came to very different conclusions about what exposure value is needed. The aurora is highly variable from second to second, so it is luck of the draw.
