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Photographers look to capture northern lights display in Arizona
The northern lights will be visible in Arizona for the second night in a row. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen learns what it takes to get the perfect shot from local photographers.
FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. - There were some unbelievable photos of the northern lights in Arizona Tuesday night. Believe it or not, it could be even better Wednesday, and photographers are gearing up for it.
Local perspective:
Parking lots on the Adaro Canyon Trail in Fountain Hills were pretty busy on Nov. 11 because there were so many people that wanted to see the northern lights.
The beauty we’ve come to expect in Norway and Alaska, can be found in Fountain Hills.
"So rare to the see the northern lights in Arizona we were really lucky to see them last night," Vicky Derksen, a star gazing tour leader with Night Sky Tourist said.
Dig deeper:
Derksen used a portable telescope and hit the trails with those looking to leave the light pollution of the city behind them. Fountain Hills may be a city, but as one of the few official dark sky cities in the world, the mysteries of the universe can be seen from your backyard.
"The mountain range blocks off a lot of light pollution from the Phoenix area and so we’re just in a special pocket out here that sets us apart from most of Maricopa County," Derksen said. "As the night went on it got more and more vivid."
It makes sense to see it in Fountain Hills, as they’re even building a dark sky discovery set to open next year. The dome is already in place, as is the telescope.
In a rare happenstance of the sun and the atmosphere, aurora borealis became visible on Nov. 11.
What's next:
"So tonight is supposed to be even more vivid more powerful," Derksen said.
"Because it’s a rare event like shooting lightening or shooting a rare event, that’s what makes it special," Photographer Randy Woods said.
Woods has been taking photos of the night sky for a decade. He’s seen the northern lights only twice before, and capturing stunning shots at Lake Pleasant on Nov. 11.
What you can do:
"Everyone’s got a camera that can shoot aurora now. Take anything you can out there it doesn’t need to be fancy," Woods said.
With your cellphone, anyone can capture these too if the clouds hold off Wednesday night.
"You have a tripod or something you can lean your camera against and hit a 2, 4, 5, 10 second exposure that’s it. The settings are the easy part. Getting out into the dark skies, getting the luck of the aurora that’s the hard part," Woods added.
Elevation is going to be key Wednesday night, because if you’re able to see the northern lights, it’ll be right on the far off horizon. Just make sure you’re looking north.
The Source: This information was gathered by FOX 10's Steve Nielsen, who spoke with a photographer and night sky tourist