Northern Lights in September?

[NightRN]

I was considering an Alaskan Cruise in September in order to see the Northern Lights. What are the chances that I will see them?

[SeaGypsies]

I was considering an Alaskan Cruise in September in order to see the Northern Lights. What are the chances that I will see them?

 

We were wondering the same thing.....Maybe if we're lucky and have a real dark clear night up around Anchorage????

[Budget Queen]

Anchorage isn't the place. WAY outside of Anchorage, maybe. Fairbanks is a top choice.

 

Some facts to consider- you need DAYS, if it is a priority. I am talking a couple weeks to hedge your bets. I've done two trips where the Aurora was my major priority, each two weeks. One trip had about 10 nights of sightings, the next year had one. You need to consult, daily the predictions, and look for high activity- don't even bother if less predicions. You need DARK clear skys, no clouds, clear view of stars. No full moon. And most important, in my, opinion a top lodging location and your own car. There is a superb location on Cleary's Summit that I have stayed at, along Chena Hot Springs Rd, etc.

 

You want to avoid Fairbanks, way too much light, unless you have no issue with getting each night (I have, as it made no difference to me, with my lower cost lodging).

 

There are no guarantees.

[PennyAgain]

I have seen the Aurora north east of Anchorage in September, but that was out of many times of not seeing them. It was also when there were many fewer lights of the electric kind in Anchorage.

 

Further south on the routes the cruise ships take, your chances are about nil.

 

You need real darkness, clear skies (no clouds, fog or rain) and luck.

[Yukon]

Further south on the routes the cruise ships take, your chances are about nil.

 

Not so - there's even a book with aurora photos shot in the Skagway area by one of the US border officers there ( http://www.amazon.com/Auroras-Winter-Waltz-Northern-Photography/dp/0977907007 ). Any time after August 15th or so, you could get lucky.

[SeaGypsies]

Not so - there's even a book with aurora photos shot in the Skagway area by one of the US border officers there ( http://www.amazon.com/Auroras-Winter-Waltz-Northern-Photography/dp/0977907007 ). Any time after August 15th or so, you could get lucky.

 

Then we will continue to hope. I thought we might have an extra edge because of the recent sun activity.:)

[JDinWA]

Then we will continue to hope. I thought we might have an extra edge because of the recent sun activity.:)

 

We're on the same sailing as you, and also hoping to get lucky - it could happen. :) I noticed that we have a new moon two days in, so that's good (but whether the skies will be clear is another matter...)

 

I'm also keeping an eye out for the September Perseids, meteor showers are fun!

[Cruisenouvelle]

Anchorage isn't the place. WAY outside of Anchorage, maybe. Fairbanks is a top choice.

 

Some facts to consider- you need DAYS, if it is a priority. I am talking a couple weeks to hedge your bets. I've done two trips where the Aurora was my major priority, each two weeks. One trip had about 10 nights of sightings, the next year had one. You need to consult, daily the predictions, and look for high activity- don't even bother if less predicions. You need DARK clear skys, no clouds, clear view of stars. No full moon. And most important, in my, opinion a top lodging location and your own car. There is a superb location on Cleary's Summit that I have stayed at, along Chena Hot Springs Rd, etc.

 

You want to avoid Fairbanks, way too much light, unless you have no issue with getting each night (I have, as it made no difference to me, with my lower cost lodging).

 

There are no guarantees.

I'm confused- Is Fairbanks a good choice or not?

[SeaGypsies]

We're on the same sailing as you, and also hoping to get lucky - it could happen. :) I noticed that we have a new moon two days in, so that's good (but whether the skies will be clear is another matter...)

 

I'm also keeping an eye out for the September Perseids, meteor showers are fun!

 

Yes, I had made note of the new moon also. DH and I will definitely be looking for all sky wonders on this trip.

 

 

I will hope for some clear skies and will be amazed if we get some. I haven't read anything from the cruisers on the Aug.9 trip. Weather sounded stormy on the weather channels last week. Hope it cleared up some for their journey. Will be anxious to hear reports from them.

 

I think Budget Queen said that Fairbanks has too many city lights for a good viewing of the Northern Lights but if you get out of town, a better chance.

[Yukon]

I'm confused- Is Fairbanks a good choice or not?

 

The Fairbanks area is, but you need to get away from the city lights, either with accommodation that's away, or by driving out each night.

[Budget Queen]

I'm confused- Is Fairbanks a good choice or not?

 

As noted by the other experts. :) CITY of Fairbanks. I wasn't clear. You need the ability to get out into darkness.

[JerseyBoy]

We are doing the CruiseTour on the Island starting Sept 9th. We too are hoping to see the Lights. Here is a link which may help with the forecaset.

 

http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/

[Budget Queen]

Not so - there's even a book with aurora photos shot in the Skagway area by one of the US border officers there ( http://www.amazon.com/Auroras-Winter-Waltz-Northern-Photography/dp/0977907007 ). Any time after August 15th or so, you could get lucky.

 

One time, I have seen Aurora Inside Passage. Was on the way into Skagway. I was told by my ship naturalist friend, who I had met in Juneau that day (he was on another ship, and we took a mutual tour together). I then, of course, told anyone who would listen :) to consider being out that night. Well, we had a very active display, over several hours, with less than 10 people on deck. Word got around the ship over the next two days about the sightings. BUT there were no more, despite plenty of people missing sleep.

[Chenega]

Another problem to consider are weather conditions. We've had 30 straight days of rain/overcast in the Anchorage area. August and September are traditionally rainy months but there's really no way to tell.

[NightRN]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I will have to think about whether the possibility of seeing the northern lights is enough to make me brave the cold. :p

[PennyAgain]

I wouldn't book a cruise to Alaska ONLY for the hope of seeing the Northern Lights. I've seen them many times over decades of time and in many different areas of Alaska, but always when I wasn't looking specifically to see them.

 

I've seen them the most often when out driving at night on a lonely road away from city lights while I was in the area from Anchorage to the north of Anchorage and at Denali. I have seen them from our family home which is in the Chugach Mountains.

 

Percentage of times I've seen them compared to not seeing them: Impossible to figure.

[MercedMike]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I will have to think about whether the possibility of seeing the northern lights is enough to make me brave the cold. :p

 

Honestly, if this is the way you see a cruise to Alaska, take a nice Caribbean cruise and look for the green flash at Key West!

 

The Northern Lights are very chancy at any given time. In eight cruises to Alaska we have seen them only once. On our cruise tour we left messages at the hotel desk to be awakened if they came out and they never did. So I would suggest that cruising Alaska to see the Northern Lights is very likely to disappoint.

 

There are so many other reasons to see Alaska. But if you view it as "braving the cold" just to see the Northern Lights, you probably don't really understand the purpose of a cruise to Alaska.

[Glaciers]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I will have to think about whether the possibility of seeing the northern lights is enough to make me brave the cold. :p

 

There are winter events that you may want to consider so you're not just coming up in hopes of seeing the lights. The Fur Rondy takes place in Anchorage February 25 - March 6, 2011 and the Iditarod ceremonial start in Anchorage on March 5, 2011 and the official start in Willow on March 6.

 

It's really hit and miss with the northern lights with many more misses than hits. You can certainly see them from Anchorage or Fairbanks but to really get a fantastic experience you'll need to drive many miles outside of either place. One of the best viewing spots is Chena Hot Springs about 1 hour north of Fairbanks. It's far enough from town but also has a nice thermal hot springs to enjoy and a nice ice museum. They also have a tour that goes high above the resort with a warming hut.

[NightRN]

I have been on an Alaskan cruise before, and we have already picked out things we want to do. It was all a matter of "when". We went in July last time, and the weather was wonderful. I would like to see the Northern Lights sometime, so I was thinking about trying late in the year. I am not a big fan of being cold though, so I was wondering how likely it would be to see them.

[Budget Queen]

I would like to see the Northern Lights sometime, so I was thinking about trying late in the year. I am not a big fan of being cold though, so I was wondering how likely it would be to see them.

 

To answer this question, with out sailing northbound, in Sept, and adding another week in the Fairbanks area, very slim chance of seeing any aurora. IF you are doing this with a cruise?? Another option, is to just do a Sept. Alaska land trip of a couple weeks. Plenty of excellent touring to consider and with 14 days interior Alaska, your bets are hedged. :)

[Beach4me]

I was considering an Alaskan Cruise in September in order to see the Northern Lights. What are the chances that I will see them?

 

While I realize it's not the norm (nor is the fact that we had NO rain in Alaska on our Radiance repo - 9/10-9/24), we saw the Northern Lights on 2 nights.

 

We had them on the night of 9/13 - after leaving Icy Strait and heading towards Juneau. And, on the following night - after leaving Juneau and heading toward Skagway. Both nights they were visible around 10:30 p.m. and continued on until 4:00 a.m.

 

We were very lucky all the way around with this trip! Hope you are as lucky on yours!

 

(Never say never. ;) )

[tetleytea]

That is just amazing luck. Wow.

 

I understand 2011 is supposed to be a good year for the Northern Lights. I've been contemplating an April trip up and then catch the first Princess sailing out of Beijing next year.