My photographing wife explains it as the cameras can register the aurora borealis better than your eyes can. Add post-processing on top and it doesn't look the same in real life as in the pictures. Still mesmerizing and profoundly interesting to experience though imo.
Yep. Your eyes lose there ability to resolve color in low light. Which is why you see the northern lights looking more like grey smoke rather than the colorful display your camera captures.
