runarut

After doing some research on the Aurora Borealis, my wife discovered that Fairbanks is one of the best places to view this phenomenon. However, best viewing is (if I remember correctly), November, February, and March.

When it is cold. Real cold.

Has anyone been to Fairbanks in the winter to view the Aurora Borealis? Are there good viewing areas? How do you deal with the cold temperatures?

Now, don't laugh. I've become acclimated to San Antonio weather. Our idea of cold is 50 degrees. The coldest it has been since I moved here is 25 degrees. I noticed that Fairbanks was in the -30's. That might have been the high. I can't even imagine.

What do you wear when you want to be outside watching the slow magical ribbon dance of light across the horizon during the long cold night? Do you have to take special precautions or steps to take outside (digital) pictures in temperatures like this?

The other option would be to view from inside somewhere. I can't imagine there are indoor viewing galleries for tenderfoots such as us. Is it possible? Is there an entrepreneur who provides first class accommodations for wimps?

It has been almost 30 years since I saw the Aurora Borealis for the first and last time from a mountaintop in the Washington Cascades. It was late summer and absolutely magical. I need another fix.

Help?

etch5895

I lived in Fairbanks for three years. Warm jackets, hats and gloves / mittens are a must. Don't be brave and try to do it without a hat. I came close to losing my ears over youthful stupidity and non-hat wearing bravado in 20 below temperatures on the UAF campus. Other than that, just don't stray too far away from a heat source or wind block and you should be fine.

The cold at -20 and -40 are such that you really can't feel the difference. So just dress warmly, and don't forget to plug your car in. I can't think of any indoor aurora viewing places, but it has been a little while since I was up there.

Oh, and be careful when filling up your gas tank. If you spill any fuel on your skin at those cold temperatures, you can get instant contact frostbite.

oldpenny16

We call them BARS!

I prefer March and September viewing, but have had my best viewing when least expecting it to happen. My best viewing was driving alone at night one September, leaving the Chugach mountains east of Anchorage. Happened to look up as the road made a turn....wow!

You can make a big trip, have cloudy weather and see nothing. That's part of the magic.

Oh and you can hear them sometimes!

iapetus

The phenomenon that leads to aurorae occurs continually. So, in theory, you could see them at any time of the year. The problem is that you need darkness. That far north times when the Sun sets corresponds to times of the year when it's cold. Thus, you could travel up there and see them in October, too; just wait 'til the Sun sets.

Now that would be phenomenal!

lawchild

I've seen magnificent aurora in Anchorage in September. There are some professors at UAF that are experts on the aurora- you might see if they are doing any talks.

ASflyer

I've lived in Fairbanks for 30 years and March is my favorite month. It's the time when Fairbanksans shake off the long, dark winter. There's plenty of daylight, it's warm (20 to 35 during the daylight hours), the snow's still in good shape, and there's lots going on in town.

The World Ice Art Championships (http://www.icealaska.com/) started this week, the North American Sled Dog Championships is later in March, and the Winter Festival offers activities all month. It's also the best time to be outside skiing, snow shoeing, dog mushing, or just walking.

Aurora viewing is the main tourism activity here during the winter. JAL flys tour groups here from Japan on a regular basis. Many of them stay at the Chena Hot Springs Resort, about 50 miles from town, where they sit in the hot springs or try dog mushing or other winter activities. Beyond that, there really aren't many tourists who dare to come to Fairbanks in the winter/spring (because they think it's too cold and they're a bunch of wusses )

And the aurora is not nearly as impressive in Anchorage as it is in Fairbanks! Email me if you need further information.

Quokka

For those curious about Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs, Japanese winter tourists and the Northern Lights ...

Japanese Travel Motivations: The Case of Alaska and the Northern Lights:

http://www.uafsom.com/pdfs/japaneset...otivations.pdf

and

http://www.uafsom.com/ait.html


Also, the UAF's Geophysical Institute has a handy Aurora forecast page at

http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/

The Geophysical Institute's page above also contains a lot of useful links on it.


When thinking about heading to Fairbanks to watch the lights, it's wise to not only check the Aurora forecasts, but also to check the weather forecast for Fairbanks. If the sky is overcast you're not going to see the lights clearly, no matter how much auroral activity is overhead. Also, Fairbanks can be subject to some pretty nasty periods of "ice fog" in the winter which can dramatically reduce visibility of pretty much any and everything. While I saw the northern lights plenty of times when I lived in Fairbanks, my best sightings were usually out of Fairbanks aways from the city lights and any ice fog.

btw, for big fans of aurora's north and south, the US Postal Service is releasing a set of stamps on the topic. One of the stamps shows the northern lights in Alaska above Talkeetna.

http://www.sikunews.com/art.html?artid=2678&catid=3

iapetus

Yeah, but unless you're traveling to Fairbanks, Alaska, from within Alaska, most people wouldn't, I think, have the luxury of being able to use those forecasts to plan their trips. You simply don't have sufficient advance notice.

I can't believe I'm posting in the Alaska sub-forum!

runarut

This is great information. Keep on posting.

And Old Penny, I don't remember seeing many bars in Fairbanks with big picture windows with a northern exposure. Course, after a few drinks, the quest for a good viewing might not seem as important as at the beginning of the trip.

One last thing, can you REALLY hear it? Or are you just pulling a good ol' boy's leg?

iapetus

So, how timely is this NYT article about traveling to Alaska to witness the aurora borealis?! Odd how "the New York Times" tends to come out with articles like this just when the topic has come up elsewhere.

Quokka

http://odin.gi.alaska.edu/FAQ/#hear

ASflyer

Yes, you can hear the aurora. Not all the time, but on nights when the lights are really "cooking", and there are red, blue and green ribbons of light blazing across the sky, I've heard a low whooshing sound. Might all be in my head, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

oldpenny16

I've had my best aurora viewing when alone. Usually when driving or when waking in the middle of the night and looking out the window.

Gosh, you are making me all homesick for Alaska. My little place had a window pointed in the exact right place to view the aurora from a nice warm bed...my bed!

Yes, I have heard them. Tis trus.

etch5895

Alaska has that effect on people...can't wait to leave, and then, you can't wait to get back. Funny, I don't think I'll feel the same way when NC is in my rear view mirror for the last time.

NJCathi

I saw the aurora Tuesday night for the first time and it was fabulous! Took a drive south out of Fairbanks toward North Pole and it was dancing and waving. What a sight! It was too darn cold to open the car window to hear anything though...can't say I'm not looking forward to getting back to nice, warm New Jersey tomorrow.