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Gear for watching the aurora and observing the Sun
Practical, non-hype gear guide: what you actually need for aurora watching and photography, how to observe the Sun safely with ISO 12312-2 viewers and front-mounted solar filters, the main types of solar telescope, and further reading.
Aurora watching: the short kit list
You don't need much. NASA's packing list for aurora nights covers the essentials: spare camera batteries or a phone battery pack kept warm in a pocket, warm layers and blankets, a tripod, a red headlight, and snacks and hot drinks for a long night. [1]
Tripod. Any tripod that holds still in a breeze helps more than any other upgrade, for phones and cameras alike. For a phone, add a phone clamp. Weight and stiffness matter more than height. Set it low and spread the legs wide in wind.
Phone or camera. A recent phone with a night mode is enough to start. A camera with manual exposure and a wide lens with a large maximum aperture (a small f-number) gives more control and cleaner images. See our photography guide for settings.
Headlamp with a red mode. Red light disturbs your dark adaptation far less than white light. The National Park Service recommends red light for stargazing for this reason. [2] Choose one where red can be switched on without flashing white first.
Warmth. Layers, an insulated jacket, a hat, warm boots and gloves thin enough to work a camera, or liner gloves under mittens. Disposable or rechargeable hand warmers can be tucked next to phones and batteries as well as hands. Bring a folding chair or foam mat, because you will spend most of the night standing or sitting still.
Solar viewing safety: read this first
Never look at the Sun directly, or through a camera, binoculars or telescope, without proper solar filtering. NASA warns that viewing the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury. [3] This is standard astronomy safety guidance, not medical advice.
For looking at the Sun with your eyes, use only eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers that meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard. NASA says regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun. [3] Inspect viewers before each use and discard any that are scratched, torn or damaged. [3]
For telescopes, binoculars and cameras, use a purpose-made solar filter that mounts securely over the front of the optics. The American Astronomical Society notes that filters for optics are not covered by ISO 12312-2. [8] Instead, it recommends filters from listed suppliers, mounted securely at the front and used according to the supplier's instructions. [4] [5] Never use eclipse glasses in place of a filter on optics, and never look through optics while wearing eclipse glasses. [3] [5]
Never improvise. Don't use sunglasses, smoked glass, exposed film, CDs or stacked filters. The AAS warns that solar filters which thread into the eyepiece at the back of a telescope are dangerous, because concentrated sunlight can destroy them in an instant. [5] Cap or filter any finderscope too. [5]
Buy from reputable sources. The AAS maintains a list of suppliers of safe solar viewers and filters, and recommends buying from listed manufacturers or their authorized resellers rather than unidentified marketplace sellers: AAS suppliers list. [4] For more, see NASA's eye safety page. [3]
Solar telescopes and filters: the main types
White-light filters. A full-aperture filter of coated glass or specialist film fits over the front of an ordinary telescope, binoculars or camera lens and cuts the Sun's light to a safe level. It shows the photosphere, the Sun's visible surface, with sunspots, and is the simplest and most common way to start. [6] [5] The tradeoff is that you only see that surface layer. Prominences and most flare activity are invisible in white light.
Hydrogen-alpha (H-alpha) telescopes and filter systems. These isolate a very narrow band of red light at 656.3 nm from hydrogen, showing the chromosphere just above the surface: prominences at the edge of the disk, dark filaments, and bright active regions. [6] [7] They are dedicated instruments, or complex add-on systems, and cost considerably more than white-light filters. Their narrow filters also need careful handling. Buy only from established specialist makers.
Other options. Calcium-K instruments show another chromospheric layer in violet light that many eyes see poorly, so they are mainly used for imaging. Projection, where the Sun's image is cast onto a white card, is a traditional group method, but it should be set up by someone experienced, and no one should look through the telescope while it is pointed at the Sun. The AAS explains safe pinhole and optical projection.
Which to choose? For most beginners, a quality white-light filter for a telescope or binoculars they already own is the sensible first step. H-alpha is the upgrade for people who want to watch prominences and flares change through the day.
Further reading
- Storms from the Sun: The Emerging Science of Space Weather, by Michael J. Carlowicz and Ramon E. Lopez · A readable introduction to space weather and its effects on technology.
- The Sun Kings: The Unexpected Tragedy of Richard Carrington and the Tale of How Modern Astronomy Began, by Stuart Clark · The history behind the 1859 Carrington Event. See also our Carrington Event guide.
- Nearest Star: The Surprising Science of Our Sun, by Leon Golub and Jay M. Pasachoff · A general-reader account of solar physics by two solar scientists.
- Northern Lights: The Science, Myth, and Wonder of Aurora Borealis, photography by Calvin Hall and Daryl Pederson, essay by George Bryson · An Alaska aurora photo book with an essay on the science and folklore.
Titles listed for reading only. We have no bookseller affiliate links at present.
Frequently asked questions
Are sunglasses safe for looking at the Sun?
No. NASA says regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun. Use eclipse glasses or handheld viewers that meet ISO 12312-2, from a reputable supplier.
Can I use eclipse glasses with binoculars or a telescope?
No. Optics concentrate sunlight. Binoculars, telescopes and cameras need a purpose-made solar filter mounted securely over the front of the optics, and you should never look through optics while wearing eclipse glasses.
What is the difference between a white-light filter and a hydrogen-alpha telescope?
A white-light filter shows the Sun's visible surface and sunspots. A hydrogen-alpha instrument isolates a narrow red wavelength to show the chromosphere, including prominences and filaments, and is more specialised and more expensive.
What gear do I need to watch the northern lights?
Warm layers, a red headlamp, spare batteries kept warm, and a tripod if you want photos. A phone with a night mode is enough to start.
Sources
- NASA Science: NASA's Guide to Finding and Photographing Auroras https://science.nasa.gov/feature/nasas-guide-to-finding-and-photographing-auroras/
- U.S. National Park Service, Shenandoah: Night Sky https://www.nps.gov/shen/learn/nature/nightsky.htm
- NASA Science: Eclipse Viewing Safety https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/
- American Astronomical Society: Suppliers of Safe Solar Viewers & Filters https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-filters
- American Astronomical Society: Solar Filters for Optics (telescopes, binoculars and cameras) https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/optics-filters
- University of Iowa, Imaging the Universe: Observing the Sun https://itu.physics.uiowa.edu/labs/observational/solar-observations/observing-sun
- NCAR High Altitude Observatory: The Sun in H-alpha https://www2.hao.ucar.edu/education/pictorial/sun-ha
- American Astronomical Society: About the ISO 12312-2 Standard for Solar Viewers https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/iso12312-2
Sources were checked on 2026-10-21. Text on this page is original. Quoted figures are attributed and linked to the source. General education only, not for safety or operational decisions. Disclaimer.