Nov 13, 2025 12:33:00

How to capture the aurora borealis on your iPhone

Due to increased solar activity and

magnetic storms , auroras have appeared in various parts of the world, including Hokkaido and Niigata Prefecture in Japan. Appleinsider explains how to capture auroras using only your smartphone, as they can be observed in places where auroras are not usually seen.

How to take a picture of the Aurora Borealis with iPhone
https://appleinsider.com/inside/ios-26/tips/how-to-use-an-iphone-to-take-pictures-of-the-aurora-borealis

The trick to photographing the aurora with a smartphone is to set a longer exposure time. Setting a longer exposure time allows you to take brighter photos even at night when there is little light. Generally, you can increase the exposure time by turning on the 'night mode' or 'night scene mode' built into your smartphone's camera app.

However, if you increase the exposure time, it will take longer for the shutter to be released, so even a slight shake will cause the photo to become blurry. For this reason, it is important to keep your smartphone as still as possible. Using a tripod will help you take clearer photos.

For iPhone 12 Pro and later models, you can increase the resolution using ' Apple ProRAW ' to get clearer images. To use Apple ProRAW in iOS 26, tap 'Camera' in the iPhone Settings app.

Tap 'Format'.

Turn on 'ProRAW and Resolution Control.'

Open the camera app and tap 'HEIF' in the upper left corner.

Just change the format to 'RAW' and you're done.

To set the exposure time, open the camera app and long-tap the night mode icon in the upper right corner. The night mode icon will not appear unless the subject is dark, so if you are in a bright place, try covering the camera with your hand.

On the next screen, set Night Mode to 'Maximum.' Turn off the flash to avoid unwanted flash.

Finally, tap the menu icon in the top right corner of the screen.

Tap 'Exposure.'

Lowering the exposure level will make the image darker, allowing you to capture faint light more clearly.

It is possible that the aurora will be visible on the night of November 13, 2025, the day the article was written.

Will there be an aurora in Japan tonight (13th)? Solar flares could cause communication disruptions and reduce GPS accuracy. | Okayama/Kagawa News | Weather | RSK Sanyo Broadcasting (Page 1)
https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/rsk/2280909?display=1