Get us in your inbox

Northern Lights
Photograph: Kat Lawman

In pictures: the winners of the Northern Lights Photographer of the Year 2023

These are the very best shots of the aurora borealis, from skies over Welsh castles to Australian coastlines

Liv Kelly
Written by
Liv Kelly
Advertising

Few of the world’s amazing sights are quite as mesmerising as the elusive aurora borealis. The light display, which can be visible from Iceland to Australia, is caused when charged particles meet with the planet’s atmosphere. 

There’s a whole host of photographers talented enough to capture this marvel, and thanks to the Northern Lights Photographer of the Year awards, we can take a sneak peak at some of their work. 

2023’s winners feature entries from Norway, New Zealand, Italy, and the UK, plus many, many more. The full list of winners, who were selected thanks to the quality of the pic as well as the story behind it, can be viewed here. Here are some of our favourites. 

Northern Lights
Photograph: Alex Wides
Northern Lights
Photograph: Virgil Reglioni
Northern Lights
Photograph: Giulio Cobianchi
Northern Lights
Photograph: Vincent Beudez
Northern Lights
Photograph: Mathew Browne
Northern Lights
Photograph: Frøydis Dalheim
Northern Lights
Photograph: Kat Lawman
Northern Lights
Photograph: Filip Hrebenda
Northern Lights
Photograph: Laura Oppelt
Aurora Borealis
Photograph: Josh Beames

After some more stunning natural photography? Here’s our list of all the winners from last year’s competition. And if you want to see the Northern Lights with your own two eyes, these are the world’s best places to do so.

Did you see that you can now take a sleeper train from Paris to Berlin?

Plus: This is the official date that the Notre–Dame will open again

Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news. 

You may also like
You may also like
Advertising