01/23/2026
The other night (1/20) I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the northern lights on the beach in Surf City! 🌊
I could barely see the pillars with the naked eye, but I did notice hints of green. These were shot on an iPhone 16 Pro Max using 3- and 10-second night mode. My phone definitely picked up some light pollution from the north.
I spent about five hours over the past few nights out on the beach trying to catch something, and at one point I thought I was actually going to get frostbite on my hands. It was around 12 degrees and hard to keep camera still with the cold, but 100% worth it ☺️
I’ve been chasing the northern lights for almost two years now and have seen them in NJ about five times, but never on the beach, which has been on my bucket list. Living in Ocean Acres makes it a bit tricky since you have to drive over and time it just right - the lights come in short waves, usually 5-15 minutes at a time. Being alone on the beach at night can also be a little intimidating with just the sound of the waves… and last night a plane flew directly over me, super low, which felt incredibly surreal.
Such a special moment and something I’ve been hoping for for a long time ❤️
