Read on to learn how to plan your own quest to see the Northern Lights in Alaska! All Rights Reserved. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Why is Fairbanks, Alaska the best place to see them? My husband, Jay Flaming, a twelve year resident of Fairbanks and professional photographer, collaborated with me on this post and provided the photography tips. The auroras occur at high latitudes so aurora fans will even travel to Alaska or Norway to see the sight on a tour. You can’t. Mark Kelley's Juneau, Alaska Calendar 2022. The rarest color phases of northern lights are red, blue and purple. Find art you love and shop high-quality art prints, photographs, framed artworks and posters at Art.com. The northern lights (also called the Aurora Borealis) are the name for the aurora when viewed from the northern hemisphere. We're proudly celebrating over 20 years at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. Red Northern Lights (Aurora borealis), Juneau, Gastineau Channel, Alaska – Image 2813. This solar energy is pulled toward the earth my the planet’s magnetic field. Over the last few years, Iceland has become the most popular choice to see the Aurora Borealis and we can understand why. In his book Majestic Lights, Eather (1980) presents several quotes from the Bible that most likely refer to aurora. However, by knowing what it takes to see the Northern Lights, you can improve your chances massively! The aurora borealis makes frequent appearances in the winter. Check out this medication, with an expiration date of April 1956. The southern lights (the Aurora Australis) are the exact same phenomenon when viewed in the southern hemisphere. But with a good camera and tripod the shots can be spectacular. The Northern Lights are technically called the Aurora Borealis and in Alaska they are generally referred to as the “Aurora” or “the lights”. Seeing the Northern Lights for yourself is an experience absolutely worth the effort required to make it happen and is totally worth making a winter trip to Alaska. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Recommended by doctors for over a decade, we, at Alaska Northern Lights, build the best light therapy lights – the NorthStar 10,000™ and the Aurora LightPad MAX™. The first recorded use of the words “northern lights” to describe the aurora was in 1230, in a book titled The King’s Mirror. How to improve your chances of seeing the Northern Lights, planning your northern lights trip to Fairbanks in March, best things you can do on a trip to Alaska, Back Side of Flattop – Best way to do Anchorage’s famous hike, Best Hiking Pants for Curvy and Plus Size Women, How to Drive to Alaska: Everything you need to Know. The author wrote the book to prepare Norwegian King Magnus Lagabøte for his duties as a ruler. Northern lights are also called by their scientific name, aurora borealis, and southern lights are called aurora australis. Sometimes when there’s a very active Aurora, it can feel like it’s coming down and almost like you can touch it! There’s a concentration of radiation around the poles called the aurora oval. Alaska's northern lights season is between mid-September and late April, peaking in March, though it’s a season defined more by its long, dark nights than by solar activity. This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. The border is currently closed between the United States and Canada, and many US states and Canadian provinces and territories have additional restrictions. ), you are likely to see the Northern Lights if you make an effort. I was lucky enough to live in Fairbanks, Alaska for four years, one of the best places to see the Northern Lights in the world. The best places to view aurora are high northern latitudes during the winter in Alaska, ... but many travel away from the city lights for the most spectacular views. M-F 8:00am – 5:00pm PST This image was taken from my files. An Eskimo tale records that the northern lights are spirits playing ball in the sky with a walrus skull. The aurora borealis typically shines green, but yesterday, Kelly got a rare sight of it shining bright red around earth. My standard packing list for Alaska, covering both winter and summer, will cover you for this trip, but here are a few key items to keep you warm and happy and improve your Northern Lights viewing experience. Northern Lights Tours. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. With no dimmers or blue light gimmicks, the NorthStar 10,000™ and Aurora LightPad MAX™ are designed for effective light therapy at a comfortable distance for 10,000 LUX. The rarest aurora is the red aurora, like the one of February 11, 1958, which is still talked about today. Scientists say that the best time to get a good look is around Midnight. It has to be dark to see the aurora (anywhere in the world). It’s true that I’m biased, but this is not just an opinion! I’m a fourth generation Seattleite who lived in Alaska for 7 years. The answer has to do with the earth’s magnetic field, which protects us by deflecting the solar wind around the earth. If you go during Alaska’s summer months , when there is daylight or a light sky for almost 24 hours each day, you simply can’t see the aurora. I know I have instinctively backed away against the side my car or a tree or rock but rest assured that the northern lights are happening at least 50 miles above the earth (at least five times as high as an airplane flies) and up to 200 miles above the earth so it’s not actually going to reach you even though it REALLY feels like it might. All images, text and web site © Copyright 2019 Mark Kelley. From late August to mid-April, travellers from all over the world search for the Northern Lights. 3 night Alaska's Northern Lights Available dates in Feb & Mar 2020 . I don’t know anyone who has lived in Alaska for a lifetime whose appreciation for the lights ever diminished. All images on this site are protected by United States Federal copyright law and the Berne Convention. The magical colors we see flashing and rolling across the sky are caused by the interaction of the gases in the earth’s atmosphere protecting us from the solar wind, harmful radiation that is constantly flying at the earth across the solar system. Now that you know what the Northern Lights are, what conditions you need to see them and why Fairbanks is the best place to see them, when should you plan your trip? Depending on your equipment and the way the lights are moving (they can be very active, flickering back and forth across the entire sky in seconds) it. Given the right conditions and viewing locale, these dancing bars of light might shimmer right over head, ranging from subtle green columns to vast red curtains that fill the entire sky. As COVID-19 continues to impact travel, make sure to CHECK and FOLLOW all federal, state, provincial and local closures and public health guidelines. I recommend planning your northern lights trip to Fairbanks in March because. I've been a tour guide in both Alaska and Washington and I love to share the places I love with visitors, newcomers and my fellow locals. BUT ISN’T IT COLD???? I check out the University of Alaska Geophysical Institute’s northern lights forecast website
http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast before sending a sleep deprived night in the car. The northern lights, one of several astronomical phenomena called polar lights (aurora polaris), are shafts or curtains of colored light visible on occasion in the night sky. ... but it also occasionally shows off other colors, ranging from red to pink or blue to purple. By continuing to use this site you agree to our terms of use. Polar lights (aurora polaris) are a natural phenomenon found in both the northern and southern hemispheres that can be truly awe inspiring. However, if you live in Canada or the northern tier states (Maine, Michigan, etc. If you have no idea what I’m talking about with the bar magnets, check out this short and awesome video that visually explains how the northern lights work. Time lapse of the aurora in Fairbanks by Josh Spice, Park Ranger at the Fairbanks Alaska Centers, in September, 2011. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. I'm Jennie. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Why does this happen in Alaska and other parts of the north (and south), you might be wondering? However, if you'd like to avoid the crowds, Alaska is a great option. More about managing the cold below! I can think of a handful of experiences that just can’t be captured in a photo, video or writing. Fax: (907) 586-1201 Thank you for visiting. Time lapse of the northern lights that I took from Red Dog mine, Alaska. The rarest color phases of northern lights are red, blue and purple. Solar storms produce huge blast of energy and provide the best opportunity for seeing the lights. Tollfree: (888) 933-1993 Red northern lights blaze over downtown Juneau and Gastineau Channel. Now you know the basics, so it’s time to start planning a trip to Alaska to see the northern lights for yourself. The aurora borealis can dominate the sky over Alaska with dazzling, magical displays unsurpassed anywhere in the world. 303-743-0011 ♦ 3033 S Parker Rd Suite 250, Aurora, CO 80014 . Sten Odenwald, author of The 23rd Cycle: learning to live with a stormy star(New York… Red Carpet World Travel . In the same way you can not guarantee good weather for your outdoor wedding or great snow conditions on a ski trip, the Northern Lights can never be guaranteed. Add to that the unpredictability and changing nature of them, and seeing the northern lights in Alaska is the adventure and experience of a lifetime! I’m so glad to have you along on the journey to experience your best low key adventure in Washington, Alaska and Western Canada! Prices starting at $862 pp double Tour only $1,044 single Tour only Prices Subject to change . Here are nine fact based reasons why Fairbanks is the best place to see the northern lights, not just in Alaska but arguably in the world! AurorA-Alaska's Great Northern Lights is projected in stunning High Definition BluRay® . These cookies do not store any personal information. yes, it is! I only recommend products I fully believe in and heartily recommend. The Northern Lights are technically called the Aurora Borealis and in Alaska they are generally referred to as the “Aurora” or “the lights”. The real show was outside, though. In general expect the temperature to be around 0 degrees Fahrenheit (although it could be well into the negative temps or up to the teens Fahrenheit during the day). “As a kid in Buffalo, New York, I always wondered what it would be like to encounter a whale,” says Mark Kelley. But you got this! Last updated: [wpautoterms last_updated_date]If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us. The same thing happens in the southern hemisphere, but there isn’t much land around the southern aurora oval except Antarctica so it’s much harder to get to a place to see them. Seeing the Northern Lights in one of the best things you can do on a trip to Alaska, and avoid the summer crowds in the process! Hi! Alaska’s Northern Lights season is between mid-September and late-April, peaking in February and March.. Fairbanks is located right below the auroral zone, and is known for its consistently clear skies due to its low precipitation. Red northern lights blaze over downtown Juneau and Gastineau Channel. Before going any farther, it’s important to know what we are even talking about when talking about the Northern Lights! Also, they … Rare red aurora borealis over spruce and birch trees in Fairbanks, Alaska. Though most Northern Lights hunters head to Europe to catch the majestic lights, Alaska is also an ideal and less conventional destination. Map. The temperature can vary a lot at this time of year, so pay close attention to the forecast as you approach your trip. Another legend, calls them the flaming torches carried by … You need to plan your Alaska northern lights vacation in the darkest months of the year. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. and has been enjoyed by thousands of world travelers and local Alaskans alike. Email: photos@markkelley.com. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Where Can You See the Northern Lights? The aurora oval (not the north pole) is the part of the earth where the northern lights are most often visible. The Northern Lights are truly a mystifying spectacle, dazzling both visitor and resident alike with their bright colors, wispy movements, and the sheer brilliance and presence they have in the skies. The different colors visible in the Northern Lights are caused by the solar wind interacting with different gases at different altitudes in our atmosphere. It’s difficult to get a good photograph of the aurora with a mobile phone. Alaska Northern Lights, Inc. 59 Damonte Ranch Pkwy #B-262 Reno, NV 89521 P: 1-800-880-6953 F: (775) 622-8060 info@alaskanorthernlights.com. The different parts of the Aurora Formula will be covered throughout this post. When the gases in our atmosphere get charged up by this radiation they start to glow, which causes the northern lights. If you are using a screen reader and having difficulty with this website, please call 800–576–4377. During that time I got to experience them routinely and my sense of awe only increased, I never took it for granted. Camera body: F5, Lens: Nikkor 20-35mm f/2.8 /Fuji film/ASA 100/ digital scan/exposure unrecorded© Mark Kelley, Phone: (907) 586-1993 It will be an adventure of a lifetime so get started with planning your trip! For United States residents, it simplifies things that Fairbanks is in the US – no passport required! Need ideas for getting outside while social distancing? Most northern light displays are green. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. My glass art and jewellery is inspired by the wonderful colours and textures which surround my studio set in the Donegal hills. They are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the north and 'Aurora australis' in the south.. Northern Lights Glass is a small fused glass jewellery and design business based in Donegal in the rugged North west of Ireland. Northern Alaska Tour Company bought the cabin to accommodate northern lights guests — it isn’t typical to have just one visitor, but I was all alone for the aurora adventure, too. Most northern light displays are green. Tampering with or intentional removal of Copyright Management Information is a violation of the copyright act. Late at Night. If you remember bar magnets from elementary school, the iron filings get caught up in a loop around the north and south pole of the magnet, and that’s just what happens with the aurora! The previous image of the lights over downtown Douglas show a wide color range of the lights. It almost felt like a walk-in time capsule. Northern lights are created when solar energy (energetic charged particles) collide with the earth’s upper atmosphere. No matter how many photos you’ve seen, or even videos, this is not even close to the experience of seeing and feeling them. The bright dancing lights of the aurora are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere. (Image: Beverly, Aurora Borealis, the colored lights seen in the skies around the North Pole, the northern lights, from Bear Lake, Alaska, Beautiful Christmas Scene, Winter Star Filled Skies, Scenic Nature via Flickr CC BY 2.0) Beginning in early September and peaking in the cold, dark nights of winter, the northern lights are … The most common color is green, but you can also see red and purple colors in an active display! D. Aurora Borealis Alaska Red Skies Northern Lights Copper Center Alaska Photographic Print by pinky. The magical colors we see flashing and rolling across the sky are caused by the interaction of the gases in the earth’s atmosphere protecting us from the solar wind, harmful radiation that is constantly flying at the earth across the solar system. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres. Since the magnetic field is the strongest around the poles, this is where the northern lights are most visible. Escorted Package Includes. We dont see red in the Aurora Borealis too frequently and the colour tends to be associated with intense solar activity. An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), sometimes referred to as polar lights (aurora polaris), northern lights (aurora borealis), or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in the Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Home / Northern lights tours Northern Lights Tours & Trips. California Northern Lights Red Aurora in California - October 29 2003 Featured Photo Galleries NORTHERN LIGHTS IN WISEMAN, ALASKA on March 22-23, 2015 A slide show with the most recent images of Northern Lights over the Brooks Range captured from Wiseman, Alaska (at latitude 67.4) on March 23, 2015. New & Recent Releases Intro to The Aurora Collection Some History - First Aurora. Thomas was traveling through Alaska to collect some very important passengers who were climatologists. 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