This year has seen a surge in activity for the Northern and Southern Lights, with the current solar cycle reaching its peak. The 2024 Northern Lights Photographer of the Year contest has captured stunning images of these celestial displays in locations rarely seen before.
Photographers from around the world have come together to showcase the beauty of the auroras against diverse landscapes and atmospheric conditions. The competition, organized by Capture the Atlas, features a collection of mesmerizing images that highlight the magic of the night sky.
One standout image is Uroš Fink’s capture of the aurora in Istria, Croatia, where a Perseid meteor shower adds to the spectacle. Fink described the experience as a “multi-course menu” of the night sky, capturing not only the greenish glow of the aurora but also the Milky Way, the constellation Orion, Zodiacal light, and the distant glow of Jupiter and Mars.
Other winners include Tom Rae’s stunning shot of the Milky Way bathed in pink light from Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park in New Zealand, and Josh Beames’s dramatic drone shot of an erupting volcano in Iceland set against a backdrop of vibrant green light.
Explore all the finalists in Capture the Atlas’s online gallery and stay tuned for updates on travel opportunities and future contests on their Instagram page.
The images showcase a range of breathtaking scenes, from the African savanna under the lights of the Southern Aurora in Namibia to the glowing skies of Victoria, Australia captured by David Tanis. Each photograph captures the ethereal beauty and wonder of the auroras in different parts of the world.
As the solar cycle continues to reach its peak, we can expect more stunning displays of the Northern and Southern Lights in the coming months. The 2024 Northern Lights Photographer of the Year contest serves as a reminder of the awe-inspiring beauty of the night sky and the magical dance of light that occurs when solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere.
