Why does the colour + brightness of Northern Lights look different in-camera vs. the naked eye?

+ A note on transcending human limitations through technology.

With so many people witnessing the aurora for the first time over the weekend, there has been a lot of talk about the brightness and colours of the aurora borealis. People are curious about how and why photos of the northern lights — whether taken with the latest and greatest mirrorless cameras or phones — don’t match what is observed with the naked eye…