The best Northern Lights photos of 2022 are absolutely spectacular

The northern lights have been spectacular this year and spotted in places where they usually aren’t seen. So, what do you think, how spectacular must be the best photos from the 2022 Northern Lights Photographer of the Year?

Well, we have an answer to that. Capture the Atlas has published the results of its annual northern lights photo contest. And yes, it’s just as you assumed: the selected photos are beyond beautiful!

For its fifth contest, Capture the Atlast has selected the 25 best aurora images captured around the world.  And due to a solar storm, this year people have been able to see the northern lights even in New York and parts of the UK.

This year’s northern lights photographers of the year come from 13 different countries and their photos were taken in countries like the United States, Canada, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Russia, Greenland, and New Zealand.

Dan Zafra, the editor of Capture the Atlas, reminds us that the northern lights season ranges from September to April in the Northern Hemisphere and from March to September in the Southern Hemisphere. He adds that the best time to see and photograph the Lights is during the fall and spring equinoxes because of the orientation of Earth’s axis.

But the photos are submitted for his contest throughout the year, and he carefully curates them. They come from some of the most renowned photographers, but also new talents. Some were shot at locations where you’re almost sure to spot aurora, but this year’s contest winners showcase new locations where the phenomenon hasn’t been photographed before. So, among these gorgeous shots, you’ll see photos captured in a glacier cave that recently collapsed in Alaska and rare locations across Denmark and Michigan. It’s quite a treat!

If you’ve always wanted to capture aurora yourself, I’m sure these images will take you one step closer to planning your trip and finally doing it. And when that happens, you’ll find some helpful information on how to take your best shots here. Take a look at the winning photos below, and find more information on Capture the Atlas.