Northern Lights Alaska

[luv2gamble]

Going to Juneau, Ketchikan & skagway. Everywhere I go I get different answers. Can you see the Northern Lights from any of these ports? Some say NO, some say yes? Does anyone know or has anyone seen it?

[crzndeb]

Daylight during the summer months in Alaska make it next to impossible to see the Northern lights. They are much more visible during winter months.

 

If you are cruising in Sept, you might have a small chance of seeing them.

[Shmoo here]

Going to Juneau, Ketchikan & skagway. Everywhere I go I get different answers. Can you see the Northern Lights from any of these ports? Some say NO, some say yes? Does anyone know or has anyone seen it?

 

Here's a good website for seeing where/when the Aurora will be:

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/Alaska/

[cadien]

I'm from there. Even in winter those ports are really unlikely.

[lrowe70]

In order to see the Auroras it needs to be dark. So no, you will not see them.

[calliopecruiser]

Possible, but unlikely. I've seen it in Edmonton, although a lot of forcasters will say that's too far south too. Of course, it has to be dark, so the further away from bright lights, the better.

[donaldsc]

When are you going - it makes a major difference.

 

DON

[RoxnDox]

Going to Juneau, Ketchikan & skagway. Everywhere I go I get different answers. Can you see the Northern Lights from any of these ports? Some say NO, some say yes? Does anyone know or has anyone seen it?

 

CAN you? Yes. Is it LIKELY? As others said, not so much. The amount of darkness, the latitude of the ports is not going to change much. The aurora depends on solar storm activity, which is highly variable. That forecast site linked elsewhere in the thread takes the solar activity and combines it with geomagnetic data to estimate where the aurora might be visible.

 

Jim

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done quite a few Alaskan cruises (and a couple of land tours) and have been further north than the ports you mentioned.

Never have seen the Northern Lights -- way too light.

[luv2gamble]

Thank you all for all your help. Guess I need to schedule another trip at a later date to see it. Im going in 2 weeks, so, guess I won't look for it. Thanks

[biker@sea]

On our east coast Boston to Quebec cruise . Northern lights were viewed from the bridge in Labrador at 5:15 A.M.

 

Guess who gave up watching for them and went to sleep at 4:30 .