Literature
How to shoot the Aurora
The basics of getting good aurora photos:
A digital SLR (aka DSLR), while not necessary, is the best place to start. At the very least, you need a camera that will allow you to manually set the shutter speed (exposure length), aperture (f/stop), ISO, and focus. It should ideally be mounted on a tripod, with at least one spare memory card and fully charged battery on hand. It's easy to fill a memory card in one setting, and if you live in a colder climate, (northern latitudes increase your chance of seeing aurora) batteries don't usually last very long in frigid temperatures. A tripod is critical, as it is impossible to hold a camera perfectly