Why the northern lights seem more frequent than ever — from solar science to smartphone snapshots

The sun has a roughly 11-year solar cycle, during which our star's activity waxes and wanes.

Solar maximum is declared when the number of sunspots peaks on the sun's surface.

The intensity of the solar wind can increase, causing the auroral oval to shift closer to the equator.

The last time the northern lights were seen from far south was a couple of years after solar maximum in 2001 .

Smartphones' low-light capabilities have doubled in quality with every new generation of phones.

Social media has played a significant role in increasing awareness and interest in the northern lights.

The ease of sharing aurora experiences on social media can sometimes lead to unrealistic expectations.

Aurora hunters now use smartphones to check for suspect shapes in the sky and, indeed, auroras.