Can you see the Aurora Borealis on an Alaskan cruise?

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

I get a kick out of ... "there is NO chance to see the Northern Lights during this time frame" commentary. If there is darkness, if there is no cloud cover...there is a chance. Fairbanks has about 4+ hours of darkness in late May and the Northern Lights have done some dancing during that time of year. It's been an incredible year for Northern Lights, I say think positively and see what happens. :)

[laughing husky]

If you have a smart phone...there is an aurora ap that will give you updates on whether the auroras will be present....it is run by the geophysical institute, I believe. It will give you the forecast for several days. If there is a really stron solar flare you sometimes, just sometimes can see them if it sorta twilighty outside. I have seen them in the morning going to work...and Sept can have some brilliant ones but it totally depends on solar flares. This winter was pretty darn good....It is difficult to see them in Anchorage due to the light pollution. Too darn many streetlights...:) The farther north you go the better it will be....there are specific areas that shift all the time..

[laughing husky]

YUP...Sorry Budget Queen, but I have seen them in Two Rivers in May...just outside of Fairbanks....It all depends on the strength of the solar storm/flare. It is rare....but it can happen....

[Frank12]

I get a kick out of ... "there is NO chance to see the Northern Lights during this time frame" commentary. If there is darkness, if there is no cloud cover...there is a chance. Fairbanks has about 4+ hours of darkness in late May and the Northern Lights have done some dancing during that time of year. It's been an incredible year for Northern Lights, I say think positively and see what happens. :)

 

Agree. I was in Saskatchewan, CA in mid-May 2005 and we saw a brilliant light show one night.

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

Sometimes BQ can be a little over zealous with her advice. Nothing is ever 100%. Keep an open mind and sometimes things will work out. :)

Edited May 4, 2012 by Gotta Go Cruisin

[Chenega]

Optimism is a wonderful thing but the facts are that so-called "night" from Anchorage north after May 18 is an extended twilight and that is 100% certain. The auroras may still be there but it is too light to see them.

 

Mid-September is another issue and one of the few advantages to taking a cruise that late in the season.

[akfishergirl]

I get a kick out of ... "there is NO chance to see the Northern Lights during this time frame" commentary. If there is darkness, if there is no cloud cover...there is a chance. Fairbanks has about 4+ hours of darkness in late May and the Northern Lights have done some dancing during that time of year. It's been an incredible year for Northern Lights, I say think positively and see what happens. :)

 

2 Thumbs up !! Heck I have seen them in Western WA in May/June/July/Aug/ NEVER say NEVER.... this has been a very active Aurora year... I hope they get lucky!!! I know that a few years ago in August (and I was just outside of Angoon in Chattam)... I saw the most spectacular Aurora's I have ever seen...pinks, purples, blues,greens, reds, you name it.....so never say never.....

[BigK09]

Ha ha - So if we don't see them we can just drive out to Western MA (we are in Central MA) - HAHA :D

That would be funny to go on the trip and come back and see them here!

My fingers are crossed. I'd be happy even with them in the horizon which sounds doable in Fairbanks at the darkest point (but rare)

[mytime53]

Fairbanks has about 4+ hours of darkness in late May . :)

 

Let's not confuse sunset to sunrise with dark. Beginning on May 16th, it will be twilight all night on nights with no cloud cover. The next time to see actual darkness will be July 28th. Those dates refer to Fairbanks. Anchorage's all night twilight begins on June 8 and lasts until July 4.

 

2 Thumbs up !! Heck I have seen them in Western WA in May/June/July/Aug/ NEVER say NEVER.... this has been a very active Aurora year... I hope they get lucky!!! I know that a few years ago in August (and I was just outside of Angoon in Chattam)... I saw the most spectacular Aurora's I have ever seen...pinks, purples, blues,greens, reds, you name it.....so never say never.....

 

May I point out to you that it actually gets dark in Western WA in May and June and July. And Angoon is dark in August, as are we. In fact, Angoon is far enough south that it never sees all night twilight. We've seen some great displays in August in the Anchorage area, when we actually have darkness.

[AKman2495]

I get a kick out of ... "there is NO chance to see the Northern Lights during this time frame" commentary. If there is darkness, if there is no cloud cover...there is a chance. Fairbanks has about 4+ hours of darkness in late May and the Northern Lights have done some dancing during that time of year. It's been an incredible year for Northern Lights, I say think positively and see what happens. :)

 

Well, no. There is not 4+ hours of "darkness" then. By the end of May, the best you can get is maybe 1.5 hours of dusky twilight. It just doesn't really ever get dark in the sense you have.

 

Of course, they may be out, but seeing them is another matter entirely....

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

Well, no. There is not 4+ hours of "darkness" then. By the end of May, the best you can get is maybe 1.5 hours of dusky twilight. It just doesn't really ever get dark in the sense you have.

 

Of course, they may be out, but seeing them is another matter entirely....

 

I stand corrected. The 4+ hours of Darkness I refered to was Sunset to Sunrise and as you correctly pointed out it's more like dusky twilight. The DW and I will be there in less than three weeks. We will remain hopeful. Seeing some Northern Lights would be a nice bonus to our visit to AK. :)

[JeanfromBNA]

Sun is ramping up to peak activity in its 11 year cycle, so you never know. I like this website: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast just to review. We have seen some fabulous CMEs and M and C class Flares so far this year.

[laughing husky]

if you have a smart phone, There is an aurora ap......I think it was free....it is great.....shows when and where you will see them.....

[Gotta Go Cruisin]

Thanks for the links and related info for our quest to view the Northern Lights. Who knows we might get lucky.

It's kinda like when you were a Kid going to a Baseball game of your favorite team and sitting in the Left Field Bleachers with a chance to catch the Homer Run Ball off the bat of your favorite player. It may not happen, but it sure is fun to dream about it.

[Chenega]

If you want to really see the auroras during the summer, visit the excellent exhibits at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Museum, the Rasmussen Museum in Anchorage, or the presentation on Mondays at 2pm at the Public Lands Information Center in Anchorage. There are also some great multimedia shows at the Anchorage Center for the Performing Arts with a small admission charge.

 

Yes, it is a solar max period in the 11 year cycle but latitudes of around 60 degrees and north are simply too light to see much of anything. That's the science of things.

Edited May 6, 2012 by Chenega

[Happspar]

Thank you