Sonja Haase, a nature photographer from Schönbach in Germany's Upper Lusatia region, has emerged as one of the dedicated aurora hunters capturing the spectacular northern lights phenomenon that has become increasingly visible in central European latitudes. Her favorite hunting ground is the Lochberg viewpoint near Schönbach, where she has successfully photographed the elusive natural spectacle despite challenging weather conditions and poor forecasts.

On a mid-October evening around 8 PM, Haase positioned her camera tripod at her preferred location, hoping to capture northern lights against the frosty backdrop of a starry night. Following her usual routine, she oriented herself using the Big Dipper constellation to determine true north. She manually set her camera's white balance to 3,700 Kelvin to ensure accurate color reproduction without distortion from artificial light sources. This technical precision is crucial because aurora borealis appears mostly in gray tones to the naked eye in these latitudes, with the camera revealing the true vibrant colors.

Haase's meticulous preparation involved focusing on a bright star in the sky, carefully adjusting the focus ring of her fast wide-angle lens until the star appeared as sharp as possible on the camera display. She set the timer release to two seconds before beginning her patient vigil. The nature photographer understands that persistence and determination are key to success in aurora photography. For four grueling hours, she endured minus-two-degree temperatures and was ultimately rewarded when the northern lights appeared luminous on her camera screen.

"I had the right instincts!" the Schönbach resident exclaimed, explaining how she constantly monitored values in the Aurora Forecast Germany app. Despite preceding solar storms, predictions for northern lights in the region had been consistently poor each day. However, Haase refused to rely solely on forecasts and drove to the Lochberg viewpoint on intuition, as she often does. "Despite wearing a hat and gloves, the cold crept under my skin, the lens kept fogging up, and soon small ice crystals were hanging from the tripod legs. Suddenly I noticed the colored beams on the camera display and knew: They're here! I pressed the remote trigger. Over and over again, as long as the northern lights glowed on the display," she described the magical moment.

Her persistence paid off remarkably well – three of her photographs made it into a photo gallery featured by MDR, Germany's Middle German Broadcasting Corporation. This achievement holds special significance as Haase joined the ranks of northern lights hunters only after her first personal encounter with the phenomenon during a Denmark vacation in August of the previous year. From a sand dune, she witnessed and captured an impressive display of intense aurora borealis, describing the experience as "a cosmic ballet with lights dancing in overwhelming color splendor, from luminous green through pink to purple across the sky."

This celestial spectacle not only enchanted her but also provided perspective on humanity's place in the universe's infinity. The captured image has now become a featured motif for the upcoming Schönbach Calendar 2026, set to be released soon. The aurora magic has captivated her ever since, leading to deeper study of the phenomenon. She now understands that the colorful lights appearing like dancing spirits in the night sky result from the solar wind carrying energy-laden particles that create spectacular collisions with atmospheric gases.

Current solar activity has reached peak levels in its cycle, meaning aurora photographers no longer need to travel to Scandinavia. During strong solar storms, with some luck, northern lights can be photographed in Saxony between 9 PM and 2 AM, ideally at dark locations with minimal light pollution. Haase recommends using aurora prediction apps to improve chances, though smartphone cameras are inadequate for quality results. Professional equipment includes a system or SLR camera with manual settings for aperture, exposure time, and ISO, plus a wide-angle lens, remote trigger, and sturdy tripod to prevent camera shake.

Practical aurora photography requires additional preparation beyond equipment. A headlamp helps with orientation in darkness and can illuminate foreground elements like trees or buildings for easier focusing and artistic composition. Since northern lights favor cold weather, photographers should dress warmly and carry spare camera batteries close to the body, as cold temperatures significantly reduce battery life. Hot tea can provide comfort during long waiting periods in frigid conditions.

"Naturally, I would love to go aurora hunting far up north someday. But photographing such a magical light spectacle here in the deep east and being able to capture part of my hometown's silhouette in the image has very special meaning for me," Haase reflected. She relocated from Lüneburg to Schönbach twelve years ago, and the nature photographer has discovered not only a second home in southern Upper Lusatia but also a treasure trove of unique subjects that she captures in extraordinary photographs. Her nature and wildlife motifs discovered throughout Upper Lusatia can be viewed on her website at www.wiesensafari.de.