Don’t stare at your phone. It ruins your night vision. If you must check the forecast, use a red-light app. Your eyes will thank you, and you’ll see the aurora sooner.
Bring a DSLR camera with a tripod. Set the shutter speed to 5–15 seconds, aperture as wide as possible (f/2.8 or lower), and ISO around 1600. If you don’t own that, just use your phone in “Night Mode” and lean it against a rock. Who needs pro gear?
And for the love of all that is twinkly, silence your notifications. Nothing kills the vibe like a “Mom: Did you feed the cat?” alert while you’re staring at the cosmos.
