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Auora borealis

Sumar76

By Sumar76,
in Alaska

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indigosails

indigosails

Posted
Posted

This year (and next) is expected to be good for aurorae.

 

My cousin, who lives in Fairbanks, tells me it has to be clear and very cold, although scientists say it depends on the activity from the sun. You usually can only see the Northern Lights in the winter time (at night). I have seen them in March. And, the closer you are to the Arctic Circle the better.

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donaldsc

donaldsc

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Several years ago we saw aurora on a cruise in late August. It was very faint but we did see it.

 

That said - you need to be in AK in the middle of the winter and far north to see it best. I spent a week at Chena Hot Springs north of Fairbanks in March and they were wonderful. Cold has Hades and I wore more cold weather clothing that you could imagine but they were wonderful.

 

DON

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frugaltravel

frugaltravel

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I disagree with some of the above info.

 

My cousin, who lives in Fairbanks, tells me it has to be clear and very cold, although scientists say it depends on the activity from the sun.

 

Relatively clear is good, but there are multiple reports including photos of the aurora with a pretty good cloud cover. Actually it can look quite interesting with the clouds.

 

That said - you need to be in AK in the middle of the winter and far north to see it best. I spent a week at Chena Hot Springs north of Fairbanks in March and they were wonderful. Cold has Hades and I wore more cold weather clothing that you could imagine but they were wonderful.

 

If the conditions are right and the forecast is high, the Northern Lights can be seen from many places in the lower 48. Last winter they could be seen quite far south - reports of those in TN seeing them and many reports of those in MN, MI and the northern east coast also seeing them.

 

I have seen the Northern Lights near Anchorage, on a cruise in late August near Juneau, and near Denali NP in Aug/September a couple of times. I don't think "middle of the winter" is necessary. Actually September and March are great times since it is not nearly as cold but still with a very good chance of seeing them.

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DragonOfTheSeas "Live from...." Rare

DragonOfTheSeas

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We took the last NB cruise on the Radiance of the Seas last year. [Aug 31--Sept 7]. Then did a few days on land. We flew home just before midnight on Sept 11.

 

A couple of people on our cruise roll call went to Fairbanks and Chena Springs. They saw the lights on Sept 12-13. . . .and there were reports from Denali. I was so bummed!:(

 

But, September is a possibility.

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Northern Aurora

Northern Aurora

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Several years we had a rather surprisingly nice aurora in late August, but generally our best viewing in Fairbanks is mid-September to mid-April. There is a great amount of misinformation regarding auroras. The Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has an excellent website: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast.

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PennyAgain

PennyAgain

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I've seen the aurora borealis many times but nearly always when I wasn't expecting to do so. Once spectacular night while camping at Denali NP is mid-September many years ago (the lights woke me up about 2 am and I stayed up all night after that).

 

And once driving back to Anchorage late at night when the road was lonely with no other cars/headlights. I was driving toward the north east when I saw them over the Chugach mountains and thought at first there was a wild fire.

 

That was in October back when Anchorage was much smaller with fewer lights.

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Budget Queen

Budget Queen

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Guess our mid May cruise is not the right time to see Northern Lights.

Have been to Anchorage in March, Norway in October and didn't see any...

Guess this is not the right time for this trip :(

 

Pretty close to zero chance, way too light out.

 

You don't have a good track record. :( I always recommend- IF aurora is the priority, then you need a couple weeks of time, to park yourself in the areas.

 

I've done two winter Alaska trips, both in March- which is "mild" and superb for daylight of 12 hours. DAILY you need to check the prediction sites, and forget about bothering unless you have and "active" prediction.

 

Both my trips were 2 weeks, One had 10 nights of hours of aurora, the following year, had 1 with 1 other so so view.

 

I've seen them several times end of August, into Sept, from Denali, and cruising into Skagway.

 

It is of great advantage to have a car- if you are interior Alaska end of season (weather is usually a plus going northbound on the inside passage as well). You need to get out of any light, which is difficult to do, on a cruisetour.

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Budget Queen

Budget Queen

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It is 100 times better in person. :)

 

I was fortunate to stay with someone, who had his house "aurora priority" - on Cleary Summit. Complete walk around deck. Red lights throughout ( enough light but still dark) woke you up when activity, plus clear views for Poker Flats aurora - rocket launching, which I saw twice. Spectacular!!!!

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Italy52

Italy52

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My husband, who was working in Alaska many years ago, flew me up to Fairbanks for my birthday which is October. On the night of my birthday, he took me outside of our hotel room and had me look at the sky --- the northern light show was absolutely beautiful --- it was a magical moment for my birthday memories.

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