I used to be shocked that many individuals don’t even have Alaska on their radar for Northern Lights journeys! Go do a search, and also you’ll be inundated with Iceland and Norway, however Alaska remains to be a little bit of an outlier. And you understand what which means? It’s the proper place to plan your Northern Lights journey as a result of it’s not as crowded or costly!
A number of key issues make Fairbanks, Alaska, among the best locations for northern lights viewing. I’ve been there 4 instances within the winter and have amassed a couple of of my finest ideas for experiencing Fairbanks Northern Lights so that you could benefit from your aurora expertise.
Why Fairbanks, Alaska, is the perfect place for a Northern Lights Viewing
Positioned just under the Arctic Circle, landlocked, and close to Fairbanks Worldwide Airport, Fairbanks has the proper recipe for viewing the aurora borealis.
The Aurora Oval and Kp Index
The Northern Lights kind an oval form above the Earth’s geomagnetic poles. Fairbanks occurs to be completely positioned underneath the oval surrounding the North Pole. Which means that the aurora in Fairbanks is usually seen instantly overhead! This distinctive vantage level is nice for aurora pictures and is barely discovered underneath the auroral oval.
The Kp index, a measure of electromagnetic exercise within the environment additionally comes into play for aurora viewing. A studying of two or increased is usually thought of good for Northern Lights recognizing; nevertheless, you’ll be able to see Northern Lights in Fairbanks even when there’s low exercise due to its place underneath the aurora circle.
“You haven’t seen the aurora till you’ll be able to look straight up and see it overhead. Whenever you see it overhead – you’ll be able to see how a lot construction is in it. So it’s finest to return north underneath the aurora oval.”
Aurora Physicist Peter Delemere
Climate in Fairbanks
Aurora season is between August 21-April 21 within the Fairbanks area. And one factor that’s required to see them is a transparent sky. You might be in luck in Fairbanks as a result of it has many clear nights because it’s positioned within the inland Arctic – an space they name Alaska’s inside. By the coasts, there’s extra humidity, precipitation, and clouds. However in Fairbanks, it’s a dry local weather which means plenty of clear skies!
“The northern lights are so prolific within the Fairbanks area and the Arctic that guests who keep a minimal of three nights and are actively out in the course of the late night hours improve their likelihood of seeing the aurora to greater than 80 p.c!”
Discover Fairbanks
Fairbanks Geophysical Institute
The Geophysical Institute on the College of Alaska Fairbanks has earned a global fame for learning Earth and its bodily environments at excessive latitudes. It consists of seven main analysis models and plenty of analysis help services, and it focuses on aurora analysis on Earth and different planets.
Anybody can go go to the Geophysical Institute and take a self-guided tour, nevertheless, I went to speak to a physicist specializing in aurora analysis, Peter Delamere. Studying the science behind the aurora on Earth and Jupiter was fascinating! I discovered what makes the totally different colours we see and the way to spot a substorm. His total recommendation was to verify the northern lights forecasts and be persistent – very persistent.
A few of the smartest aurora individuals on this planet are in Fairbanks, another excuse why it’s an excellent place for a Northern Lights journey!
Go to the Geophysical Institute in Fairbanks: Public excursions of the Geophysical Institute are free and provided on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. by way of the summer season. A self-guided tour brochure is on the market within the foyer of the Elvey constructing. You might be welcome to go to the constructing and take the self-guided tour Monday by way of Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Geophysical Institute Web site
The Fact About How We See the Northern Lights
Till I went to go to Fairbanks, Alaska, I assumed the Northern Lights had been all simply hype. No – I haven’t joined a Flat Earth Society or determined International Warming is a hoax; I simply didn’t know if I totally believed in them. I had good motive to doubt them.
I had ‘seen’ the aurora borealis twice earlier than – however to my disappointment, it was nothing like what I had seen in footage and movies. There was no coloration (apart from what lengthy publicity pictures might seize), and there was no dancing. As a substitute what I noticed was a grey, cloudy glowing blob. These aurora sightings might’ve been mistaken for moon glow or fog, and I by no means would have even seen them besides individuals informed me it was the aurora.
After my disappointing experiences, I began to suppose that the Northern Lights had been brought on by a bizarre conspiracy by tourism departments and Northern Lights tour corporations.
I informed Peter Delamere on the Geophysical Institute about my conspiracy idea, and he defined, “When it’s faint, your eye doesn’t detect it as inexperienced; it seems as a grayish glow, and it may be a bit disappointing.”
I suppose I simply had dangerous luck with the aurora depth in response to Peter. To see any coloration within the faint aurora, I needed to do pictures to understand it was there as a result of it’s not all the time seen to the human eye.
Our eyes use two several types of cells to see gentle: rods and cones. The cone cells understand fantastic element and coloration however want shiny gentle. Rod cells can solely see black and white and have poor decision however stay delicate even in very low gentle. At evening, with none shiny gentle supply, we usually solely see a monochromatic world. Nonetheless, cameras can present us what our eyes can not see. For this reason you see photographs with shiny inexperienced lights.
Learn how to See the Aurora in your Northern Lights Journey
Verify the Northern Lights Forecasts
There are a variety of real-time aurora tracker GPS cellphone apps and web sites that may assist predict the aurora. I used a mixture of all of them!
Aurora Borealis Tracker
Stay Webcam
Geophysical Institute Aurora Forecast
See the place the aurora oval is at any time
Take a Northern Lights Tour
Chances are you’ll need to take a tour, or it’s your decision the liberty of a rental automotive and chasing the aurora by your self. Both method is nice, and I attempted out a couple of totally different Fairbanks northern lights excursions throughout my journey (extra on these within the subsequent part!).
Aurora Photograph Excursions
In case your aim is to get an excellent picture of the aurora, then I extremely advocate signing up for an aurora pictures workshop the primary evening you arrive in Fairbanks. In any case, it is a bucket checklist merchandise for most individuals, and also you need to just be sure you know what you’re doing, because the aurora will not be a straightforward factor to {photograph}.
A 40-minute drive from Fairbanks will put you firmly within the inside – an ideal place to view Northern Lights. Simply off the Steese Freeway, you’ll discover Aurora Bear Images Workshops, a small intimate workshop in Frank and Miriam’s off-the-grid dwelling.
Frank affords starting and superior pictures lessons, and should you don’t have your individual DSLR or mirrorless digicam, he rents them together with tripods. You’ll go away with some spectacular evening sky and (hopefully) aurora photographs.
Aurora Viewing Tour
These excursions usually have large numbers of individuals with a mixture of picture addicts and simply individuals who need to see the aurora. As you may guess – these aren’t my jam. I hate large excursions and coach buses. Nonetheless, it really works for some individuals, and it’s good to know that Fairbanks affords these kinds of excursions to get you out of town and improve your likelihood of seeing the northern lights.
Lodges Provide Northern Lights Viewing Packages
Some resorts provide aurora viewing choices the place individuals can come and keep up all evening in a heat setting like a yurt or lodge however simply run exterior and benefit from the present when it arrives. We went to Style of Alaska Lodge simply exterior of Fairbanks they usually had an ideal setup for viewing. They’d a warm-ish yurt the place we might keep heat and wait, then run exterior and take photographs simply. The log cabin lodge offered a wonderful foreground within the photographs.
I additionally went to and stayed on the distant Black Rapids Lodge. It’s south of Fairbanks however incessantly will get lovely northern lights sightings. The gorgeous factor about Black Rapids is that it’s surrounded by the Japanese Alaska Mountain Vary, so you’ll be able to see the Northern Lights over the mountains!
It’s additionally value noting that all the resorts round Fairbanks will even provide you with an Aurora wake-up name should you join it. This implies you don’t have to take a seat up all evening ready; they do all of the laborious work and name you when they’re out. Nonetheless – it’s laborious to see the northern lights in Fairbanks as a result of metropolis lights, so the wake-up name is finest when you find yourself at resorts within the countryside, away from the sunshine air pollution.
Uncover the place to search out autumn colours in Alaska
Have an Journey Whereas Viewing the Aurora
Lots of ready is concerned when chasing the northern lights, so it’s possible you’ll need to go for an exercise when you wait. Fortunately the individuals in Fairbanks know the way to host a very good out of doors journey! Doing a quintessential Alaska winter journey whereas ready for the lights to indicate up is an effective way to maximise your time…and keep heat!
Listed below are a couple of examples:
Hire a Automobile and Go Aurora Chasing Independently
You may as well simply lease a automotive and head out independently for so long as you’d like. Simply guarantee you’ve gotten a full fuel tank because the automotive will likely be your heat ready spot in the midst of the evening. The Discover Fairbanks web site has detailed viewing places excellent for the unbiased aurora chasers full with maps and descriptions of the place you’ll be able to pull over and wait. Carry heat garments and meals and water!
My Favourite Fairbanks Aurora Borealis Excursions
In the event you determine to take a tour, listed below are six of my favorites I’ve carried out across the Fairbanks space.
1. Aurora Bear – Images
It was 10 PM, and we had been going to the Aurora Bear Images Workshop. As we pulled into the driveway lit by torches, it gave the entire space a romantic glow within the snow. My pleasure stage perked up and my sleepiness subsided. This was a small, intimate picture workshop in Frank and Miriam’s off-the-grid dwelling.
TIP: Do an Aurora picture workshop on the primary evening in Fairbanks to make sure the remainder of your time in Alaska chasing Aurora will likely be photographically productive!
Frank and Miriam instantly was quick mates as we talked of their little cabin lit by candlelight. All of us had a lifetime of travels underneath our belts and we bonded on journey tales over tapas as we obtained to know one another. This workshop was non-public in that just one social gathering might guide it. Frank’s aim was to create one thing extra private and memorable for individuals slightly than doing a tour with a big group.
“Aurora watching is an emotional factor – it’s one thing from their lifelong bucket checklist. They dream of it for a very long time. And it’s lots of effort, time and money to get to the place you’ll be able to see it. Once they do see it – it’s emotional and we frequently hear very private tales from individuals. And that’s what makes it particular for us too.” Frank defined.
Frank offered us with a scientific background, after which we went into pictures ideas and settings as he primed us for the large present. I discovered a ton about chilly climate Northern Lights pictures. Frank will even take footage of you with the lights so you’ve gotten an excellent reminiscence of the expertise. Additionally they provide different sorts of issues to do on their property, like snowshoeing whereas watching the northern lights, or you’ll be able to simply hang around and luxuriate in their canine. The expertise was every little thing I might’ve requested for and extra.
I like this small, intimate setting a lot that I embrace it on my Ottsworld Alaska Winter Tour – and it’s all the time a spotlight of the journey!
Aurora Bear Images: Learn what different individuals considered Aurora Bear Images on Journey Advisor. Take a look at all of the Aurora Bear Photograph Workshops.
2. Final Frontier Mushing Co-op Aurora Evening – Journey
Amanda and Ryne, the 2 ladies who led our Northern Lights tour, had been each skilled mushing racers. They had been younger, badass, and enjoyable to hang around with. They obtained us all suited up for a canine sled trip, one thing I had carried out earlier than, however I had by no means mushed in the dead of night. With the brand new fallen snow, the black spruce bushes had been magical, all lined with dollops of white. The canine had been desirous to run, and we had been bundled up a lot that we resembled Randy from The Christmas Story.
Afraid of the chilly climate in Fairbanks within the Winter? It simply takes the proper gear.
Take a look at my Alaska winter packing checklist, and go ready!
After the sledding, we warmed up within the cozy yurt and obtained our cameras prepared. The forecast was actually constructive for the evening, and the skies had been completely clear. As we ate scrumptious smoked salmon and reindeer sausage inside, Amanda was exterior looking ahead to the aurora. The aurora forecast was constructive for the evening.
“It’s right here!” she exclaimed and we jumped into motion.
We spent the following 90 minutes exterior watching because the lights grew in depth and began to maneuver and stream like a wave within the sky. This was the substorms I had heard about: streaks of sunshine dancing upwards proper above our heads. At that time, I simply watched in awe. I didn’t take many footage that evening as a result of I used to be mesmerized simply watching it with my eyes. The evening was chilly however excellent. We sat by the hearth, had scorching chocolate, and took footage, however largely, we simply loved the present.
The Mushing Co-op will even take footage of you with the aurora and do enjoyable gentle pictures when you look ahead to the aurora to seem.
Unbelievable canine sledding underneath the starry arctic sky AND dancing Northern Lights…it was two bucket checklist objects in a single evening!
Aurora Watching and Canine Sledding: Learn what different individuals needed to say in regards to the Final Frontier Mushing Co-op on Journey Advisor. Take a look at Aurora Watching and Canine Sledding.
3. Borealis Basecamp and Viewing Domes
In case you are searching for an extremely distinctive option to see the northern lights round Fairbanks and have a much bigger price range, then try Borealis Basecamp. It’s a hybrid glamping and aurora expertise about an hour’s drive north of Fairbanks, the place there’s no signal of sunshine air pollution.
Borealis Basecamp is the most recent and most glamorous option to see the northern lights within the area. I didn’t really get to have the total in a single day expertise, however I did go there in the course of the day to take a look at the distinctive glamping constructions.
These fiberglass domes are paying homage to igloos and they’re what expedition and analysis groups use within the far polar areas. Nonetheless, these igloos have been reworked to incorporate clear, curved home windows that stretch 16 ft throughout every igloo roof. This permits friends to lie in mattress and think about the northern lights with out leaving their cozy cover.
The igloos are in no way primitive despite the fact that they’re off the grid. They’ve kitchenettes, a full lavatory, an actual mattress and mattress, and they’re heated.
4. Aurora Level Tour Expertise
Aurora Level is a comparatively new expertise simply exterior of Fairbanks that caters to quite a few individuals directly. It’s positively not intimate, however it’s enjoyable and informative. That is principally a snug viewing level slightly than a tour. You arrive (it’s a must to get your self there) and enter the big constructing the place you’ll have the ability to comfortably wait indoors.
Consolation is vital on this expertise. There are couches and good tables arrange. There are video games to play, scorching drinks, and all-you-can-eat cookies. When you wait they do a lecture on the aurora explaining the what and the way of the phenomenon.
They’ve somebody who goes exterior and does the ready within the chilly for you after which will inform you when the lights are out. They also have a reside webcam of the sky televised within the constructing so you can too control the exercise and know precisely when to go open air.
As well as, they’ve a few pretty firepits exterior the place you can too hang around and hold watch on the sky. Or you’ll be able to hike alongside one of many many paths within the fields to maintain transferring and control the sky.
They may take footage of you and the aurora and aid you with your individual pictures too. This expertise is a good cut price – however you actually gained’t be alone.
Reservations are crucial, and you’ll have to present your individual transportation there.
5. Chena Scorching Springs Resort Aurora Tour
I’m not an enormous fan of Chena Scorching Springs – the standard has actually diminished each time I return, it’s not effectively run for my part, and it’s outdated. Nonetheless – they do have an excellent and distinctive aurora tour they provide that’s value one in a single day keep. Plus, you get to benefit from the scorching springs, too, in fact.
The tour is like nothing I’ve skilled earlier than. They name it a snow coach tour, nevertheless it’s not a bus, it’s an outdated military-style observe car related like a prepare to different ‘automobiles’. It slowly and loudly makes its method up the mountain to the highest of Charlie Dome, the place there are two Monolgian-style yurts. That’s your base for the evening – removed from any civilization and much from the resort, too!
They supply scorching drinks and snacks in the course of the night. Once I went, it was a full moon, however don’t let that deter you. You’ll be able to nonetheless get good pictures throughout a full moon. In actual fact, I obtained this cool shot of a moondog and the lights on the identical time!
6. Arctic Circle Northern Gentle Tour
It is a lengthy 16-hour tour, nevertheless it’s a option to expertise the perfect of the area and cross the Arctic Circle!
Embark on a journey excessive above the Arctic Circle to Coldfoot by air. Take pleasure in lunch on the truck cease (a singular expertise itself), after which transition to a van for the fascinating return drive alongside Dalton Freeway to Fairbanks.
Alongside the way in which, we made stops to marvel on the pipeline, interact in some exhilarating sledding, and savor the distinctive landscapes of the Arctic Circle and the Yukon. Roughly 90 minutes north of Fairbanks, we stopped at a small cabin to see the aurora. It step by step emerged throughout our van trip, reaching its full, mesmerizing show by the point we reached the cabin.
This was certainly one of my most memorable nights for aurora exercise, with the lights gracefully dancing throughout the sky for hours. Furthermore, the cabin provided a pleasant haven for warming up and indulging in snacks throughout breaks between aurora spectacles. This was a protracted day – nevertheless it was value it.
E-book this tour by way of the Northern Alaska Tour Firm. They provide drive-up/fly-back variations in winter.
Why an Alaska Prepare Journey Ought to Be On Your Winter Itinerary
What Time Do the Northern Lights Seem in Fairbanks
The everyday time the northern lights seem round Fairbanks is 10 PM to three AM. Oof – thanks, Aurora Oval, for maintaining me up all evening. I made a decision an Aurora Borealis journey in Alaska can be like a journey to Vegas. You find yourself in a bizarre sleep sample the place you’re awake from 10 PM to 4 AM when the lights are hopefully seen after which sleep till 11 AM the following morning.
There are tons of nice issues to do in Fairbanks apart from chasing the Northern Lights, however simply don’t plan too many early-morning actions. Late nights and early mornings don’t combine!
TIP: Take a nap within the afternoon to arrange on your late-night aurora chasing.
“Every part good occurs after midnight right here.”
Peter Delemere Aurora Physicist
I’ve visited Fairbanks quite a few instances and loved viewing the Aurora Borealis there greater than I might depend. You may have every little thing you want in Fairbanks, Alaska, for an excellent Northern Lights journey. One of the best half is that you just really feel like you’ve gotten a spot for your self since you’ll be blazing your individual path whereas others head to costly Scandinavian international locations. Come to Fairbanks, Alaska, to see for your self!
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Disclosure:
I used to be a visitor of Discover Fairbanks throughout this journey, nevertheless all opinions expressed listed below are my very own. This publish accommodates some affiliate hyperlinks. In the event you select to buy objects by way of these hyperlinks, I’ll earn a small fee at no additional value to you. These commissions assist scale back the prices of working this web site
