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 p.1 #1 · Northern lights at the Arctic Circle in winter – is this equipment okay? | |
I’ll be heading to the Arctic Circle in Norway soon for two weeks, finally hoping to fulfill a dream I’ve had for decades: photographing the Northern Lights.
The timing of the trip is no coincidence. We’re currently at solar maximum, the most active phase of the roughly 11–year solar cycle. During this period, the Sun is far more restless, and auroras occur more frequently and with greater intensity.
On top of that, there’s the March equinox. Around this time, auroras are statistically more common and often stronger because Earth’s magnetic field is more easily disturbed. The Sun is positioned over the equator, which enhances the coupling between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere.
Then there’s the new moon phase, giving me truly dark skies. No distracting moonlight, long nights, and nearly perfect conditions for observing and photographing auroras.
This combination of solar maximum, season, and new moon doesn’t happen very often. It will take another ten or eleven years before we see similar conditions again.
Of course, luck is always a factor. Theory and planning are one thing, but in the end, nature decides what she wants to show.
On nights when the weather doesn’t cooperate or the Sun isn’t in the mood to send out solar wind, I’ll explore the beautiful landscape during the day and create large panorama photos with my drone.
I’ll be alone during the first week, and friends will join me for the second week, so that part will be a bit more relaxed. During the first week, I won’t have to consider anyone else and can completely immerse myself in photography.
This is not a relaxing vacation. It’s a pure photography trip, during which I can finally be the person I’ve always wanted to be.
For months I’ve been checking webcams every day, studying auroras and the real–time satellite data from the instruments constantly monitoring the Sun, just to get a better feel for it. By now it’s second nature, as if I’ve been doing it all my life—despite never having seen the Northern Lights in person, haha.
Here’s a link where you can easily see what’s happening in real time and how the auroral oval moves as the Earth rotates:
https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/space/primary/waves/anim=off/overlay=aurora/orthographic=-336.66,55.35,471/loc=13.674,68.115
And here’s a webcam with very high image quality. When it’s not cloudy, you can see auroras almost every night at the moment:
https://nordkapp.panomax.com
Just click around on both links at around 9 pm. It’s fun even without diving deeply into the topic.
What do you think?
Is there anything I might have forgotten, or any other tips? Here’s my list.
I also want to use water reflections at the beach now and then, and that means my tripod will probably end up standing in the water from time to time, whether I want it to or not. I might get a pair of insulated rubber boots. I need to get some general advice on what’s available.
On the other hand, I’m wondering whether I might be overdoing it a bit.
But then again, there’s the saying: “It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”
After a trip like this, you’re always a bit wiser...
But let’s not forget: this isn’t an expedition to Antarctica.
Still, I want to fully dedicate myself to photography and avoid unpleasant surprises or losing time due to bad preparation. Good preparation means more time on location for the actual purpose of the trip.
For me, it’s the trip of a lifetime, and I’ve been insanely excited for months. Not a single day goes by where I’m not already mentally there.
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### Photography gear
A very extensive set of equipment, starting with the Sony 14 mm f/1.8 and including ND, polarizing, and mist filters
Multiple camera batteries
2 TB of in–camera storage with backup
Spare memory cards
2 × 1 TB SSDs, mainly for drone photo backups
Tripod
Bluetooth shutter release
Cable interval timer
Drone
A small bubble level, in case the drone ever needs calibration. Rare, but possible
Card reader (USB–C)
Small USB–C hub
Car cigarette–lighter to USB–C adapter for recharging drone batteries on the go
Insurance covering theft and accidents, even if the tripod falls over (I have this in general, not just for this trip)
### Care & protection
Backpack with rain cover
Cleaning kit for camera and lenses
Several microfiber cloths
Rocket blower
### Wind & weather
Light but very sturdy umbrella, storm–resistant up to around 120 km/h
Guy lines or an anchoring system to secure the tripod in strong winds
### Cold & clothing
Lens heater bands to prevent fogging
Thick photography gloves plus touchscreen–capable liner gloves
7–in–1 jacket rated down to about –30 °C depending on layering
Winter pants
Thermal underwear
Merino socks
Hiking boots with optional traction spikes
insulated rubber boots?
Heat packs
### Power & light
Several power banks
Multi–USB charger
Chargers, cables, and a power strip
Multiple flashlights
Headlamp with red–light mode
### Planning & navigation
Tablet for planning and forecasts: weather, clouds, auroras, real–time solar data, plus for file transfers
Smartphone of course
All important spots saved in Google Maps
Offline maps
### Everyday items
Small travel medical kit
Thermos
Pocketknife
Hand and skin cream
Small electric kettle
Foldable shovel and brush to dig out the car after heavy snowfall, to be bought locally
Ice scraper, in case the rental car doesn’t have one
### Food
Freeze–dried trekking meals for days or nights when I don’t feel like cooking
And of course, my little pepper cannon has to come with me, haha
### Accommodation & transport
Two–week holiday house with sauna
Rental car (petrol) with fully comprehensive insurance and zero deductible, booked through ADAC. At around €400 for two weeks in Norway, it’s impressively cheap.
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Maybe you can think of something else? Sometimes you miss the forest for the trees.
What’s currently bothering me: even after asking several times specifically about studded winter tires, I still can’t get a clear answer. All they ever tell me is that the car will have winter tires.
My impression is that the call–center staff don’t really know what the local branches actually install. I’ve asked ADAC several times, but they just forward the question to Enterprise Norway—the actual rental company—and then send me the reply they get back.
Maybe someone here has experience with how this works in northern Norway during winter?
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