The Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, have captivated humanity for centuries. These mesmerizing displays of light, painting the night sky with vibrant hues, are a truly breathtaking natural phenomenon. They’re created when charged particles from the sun collide with Earth's atmosphere, igniting a luminous dance visible primarily in high-latitude regions. In 2024, the auroras were more active than ever, thanks to exceptional weather conditions that brought these phenomena to life in stunning detail. And that means many photographers were lucky enough to capture the best of what this phenomenon has to offer.
Related: 17 Astounding Images of the Polar Lights
The Northern Lights Photographer of the Year, now in its seventh edition, brings together an exceptional collection of aurora images from around the world. From vibrant green and purple hues over Canada's Banff National Park to the unexpected fiery orange appearance seen in Australia, this year’s selection took us all by surprise. This year’s contest also highlights rare sightings in unexpected locations like Chilean Patagonia and Tenerife.
Scroll down to explore the best winners from this year’s contest.
Click on images to enlarge
1. “Paddling Under the Aurora” by Herry Himanshu. Location: Banff National Park, Canada
2. “Magic of the North” by Josh Beames. Location: Iceland
3. “Celestial Reflection” by Max Trafford. Location: Dartmoor National Park, United Kingdom
4. “Lake Toolondo Aurora” by Baillie Farley. Location: Lake Toolondo, Australia
5. “A Historic Night: Northern Lights at Étretat” by Julien Looten. Location: Normandy, France
6. “The Red Aurora Wall” by Vincenzo Mazza. Location: Iceland
7. “Sky and Ice” by Henry Frakes. Location: Aspiring National Park, New Zealand
8. “When the Aurora Meets the Milky Way” by Jānis Paļulis- Location: Bauska, Latvia
9. “Devil’s Lights” by Forest Barkdoll-Weil. Location: Wyoming
10. “Carpe Diem” by Adrian Cormier. Location: Crater Lake National Park, USA
11. “Canyon Lights” – Evan Watts. Location: Yellowstone National Park, USA
12. “28° Aurora” by Efrén Yanes. Location: Tenerife, Spain
13. “Coronation” by Roksolyana Hilevych. Location: Dolomites, Italy
14. “Aurora Mill” by Tobias Thäle. Location: Libenha, Germany
15. “Coronal Mass Eruption” by Matt Haynie. Location: California
16. “Aurora Australis” by Marc Adamus. Location: Patagonia Fjords, Chile.
17. “In the Rays of the Solar Wind” by Sergey Korolev. Location: Rybachy Peninsula, Russia
18. “Cosmic Explosion” by Uroš Fink. Location: Istria, Croatia
