Residents across Missouri and Illinois are witnessing an extraordinary natural phenomenon this week as powerful geomagnetic storms illuminate the night sky with the aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights. This rare celestial display has been visible across both states, offering photographers and stargazers a unique opportunity to capture one of nature's most spectacular light shows.
Geomagnetic storms occur when charged particles from the sun's atmosphere collide with Earth's magnetic field, creating the stunning visual effect that captivates viewers. While these storms produce dazzling curtains of color across the sky, they can also have significant impacts on modern technology, potentially disrupting satellites, GPS systems, radio communications, and even power grids throughout the affected regions.
On Tuesday night, skies across the region glowed with magnificent ribbons of pink and green light, with the display being more easily visible in rural areas compared to urban centers like St. Louis and Kansas City due to light pollution. This breathtaking show results from coronal mass ejections, which are massive bursts of plasma and magnetic energy ejected from the sun's outer atmosphere that expand dramatically as they travel toward Earth at incredible speeds.
Another opportunity to witness this celestial spectacle is expected Wednesday night, though the aurora may not be visible to the naked eye during this viewing window. Weather and atmospheric conditions permitting, the best opportunities to observe the aurora borealis typically occur just after sunset when the sky begins to darken but before complete darkness sets in.
For photography enthusiasts hoping to capture stunning images of the aurora over Missouri and Illinois, location selection proves crucial for success. Light pollution from urban areas can significantly interfere with night sky photography, so photographers should drive away from city lights whenever possible to find locations with clear views facing true north, which is where the aurora displays most prominently. When composing shots, photographers should consider including familiar landmarks or distinctive objects in the foreground to create images that are unique to their specific community and add local context to their aurora photographs.
Contrary to popular belief, professional camera equipment is not necessary to create stunning aurora photographs. Smartphone users can achieve impressive results by turning off their camera flash and activating night mode, which optimizes the phone's camera settings for low-light conditions. Regardless of the camera type being used, stabilization is absolutely critical for sharp images, so photographers should rest their cameras on tripods, fences, or other solid surfaces to minimize camera shake. Using the camera's timer function for the shutter release can further reduce vibrations that might blur the final image.
Proper equipment maintenance can significantly improve photograph quality, and something as simple as cleaning the camera lens with a soft microfiber cloth can make a dramatic difference in image clarity. Wide-angle lenses are particularly effective for aurora photography as they capture more of the expansive sky display. Several smartphone applications, including "My Aurora Forecast – Alerts," are available to help photographers plan their aurora photography excursions by providing real-time forecasts and optimal viewing times.
Photographers using DSLR or mirrorless cameras should experiment with specific technical settings to optimize their aurora captures. Long exposure techniques using slow shutter speeds, combined with low ISO settings and wide apertures (low f-stop numbers), create the ideal balance for capturing the relatively faint aurora light visible in Midwest locations. Successfully balancing these three fundamental camera settings – shutter speed, ISO, and aperture – is essential for producing high-quality aurora photographs in this region.
When possible, photographers should capture images in RAW format rather than JPEG, as RAW files preserve significantly more image data and provide greater flexibility for post-processing and editing. This additional data allows photographers to enhance colors, adjust exposure, and fine-tune their aurora images during the editing process without losing image quality.
Beyond the technical aspects of photography, it's important to remember that witnessing the aurora borealis is a magical experience in itself. Every aurora display appears different, with unique patterns, colors, and movements that make each viewing special. If photographs aren't turning out as expected, photographers should take a moment to breathe, adjust their settings, and remember that the experience of standing beneath a glowing sky with friends, family, or loved ones is just as valuable as documenting the celestial show.
Readers who capture exciting images from this week's northern lights display are encouraged to share their photographs by sending them to socialstlpr.org for a potential feature on the organization's various media platforms.
