Free online event
Wednesday 28 October 2026
7pm GMT | 3pm EDT | 12pm PDT
Join award-winning astronomy writer and experienced aurora chaser Jamie Carter for a captivating 60-minute online talk exploring one of nature’s greatest spectacles: the northern lights. Combining the science behind the aurora with first-hand experience and practical advice, this webinar will show you how, when and where to give yourself the best chance of seeing — and photographing — an unforgettable display.
Discover what causes the northern lights, why they appear most frequently within the auroral oval and how activity on the sun can turn a quiet glow into a spectacular display of arcs, rays and dancing curtains. Jamie will explain what auroras really look like to the naked eye — and why cameras sometimes see more colour — while exploring the different forms they can take.
The talk will also cover the practicalities of planning an aurora trip, including the best times of year to travel, why the weeks around the equinoxes can be particularly favourable and how to interpret space weather forecasts. Rather than waiting for the northern lights to come to you, you’ll learn why traveling to beneath the auroral oval can dramatically improve your chances of seeing them. Jamie will then explain how to capture the northern lights using everything from a smartphone to a mirrorless or DSLR camera.
Whether you’re planning a dedicated northern lights trip, hoping to photograph your first aurora or simply want to understand aurora, this session will give you everything you need to know.
MEET THE EXPERT
Jamie Carter
Jamie Carter is an award-winning astronomy and travel journalist, author and experienced eclipse and aurora chaser. He writes about the northern lights, stargazing, astrotourism and solar eclipses for multiple publications, including Â鶹´«Ã½. His travels in search of dark skies and celestial events have taken him around the world, including repeated trips into the Arctic to observe and photograph the northern lights. He is the co-author of Chasing the Northern Lights, published by DK Travel in 2026.