Northern Lights Alaska: When & How to See Northern Lights 

aurora lights in Alaska

Aurora Borealis “ The colorful group of lights dances in the night”. Alaska is among the best places in the world for viewing Northern lights. 

So travelers welcome to Alaska–your next destination for northern lights. These green, purple, and red bands of northern lights give you a scintillating experience. Experiencing these lights is easier than you think. Some travelers visit different destinations to see these northern lights, you even see these Northern lights in Alaska with little fuss. The Far North offers the best opportunities for aurora chasers, but Fairbanks, at a latitude of just under 65° N, also makes a great base. The sole motto is to find clear skies.

Insight on Northern Lights

The Northern Lights also known as aurora borealis start with the word northern means they occur in the northern pole of the world. However, these magical lights appear in both the regions Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The lights appearing near the South Pole are instead called the “Southern lights” or “Aurora Australis“. But here we will talk about Northern Lights Alaska.

Places to see Northern Lights Alaska

Fairbanks

The golden heart of Alaska Fairbanks, sits at 65 degrees north latitude. It is the best choice for northern lights hunters, it’s easily accessible to get plenty of time to view your best moment. The city sits where the activity of the polar light is concentrated, under the aurora oval a ring-shaped oval. According to the experts, a clear evening with a dark sky is the best time to witness the skies light up on an average of 4 to 5 nights. 

Talkeetna

In the base of Denali south-central Alaska Talkeetna sits about 115 miles north of Anchorage. This historic town offers a lot of outdoor fun. Talkeetna streets are filled with galleries, shops, restaurants, and a brewery. It is recommended that head towards Christiansen Lake or past the airport on Beaver Road to witness the magical lights or Northern Lights Alaska. 

Denali National Park

Another best place in Alaska to view northern lights is Denali National Park. It is among the top tourist attractions in the U.S. The city is free from city pollution, so the condition of the city is right to see aurora borealis. During winter it’s difficult to access the park however, it’s open throughout the year. 

Coldfoot Camp

Situated above the Arctic Circle in the Brooks mountain range Coldfoot Camp is another top destination in Alaska see aurora borealis or Northern Lights. This area is directly under the auroral oval. This place is best for snowshoeing wildlife viewing, and dog mushing. 

Explore Your Tour to Alaska: An Itinerary

  • The most reliable place in Alaska to find northern lights is Fairbanks above the Arctic Circle
  • Alaska’s interior and arctic regions are the most active in the world. So get the best view of the northern lights. 
  • For your late-night and winter early spring Alaska is the best destination to visit. 
  • These magical lights be seen in Alaska on winter nights with clear skies. 
  • Before visiting on your trip just update yourself with Alaska’s northern lights forecast.  
  • Your Alaska bucket list is incomplete without experiencing Northern Lights Alaska!

How to see the Northern Lights in Alaska?

Travelers frequently ask questions about how to see these lights from the city. But no worries we are here to provide with some essential tips to complete your trip successfully. 

  • Towns and cities have light pollution that it is difficult to see these lights from there, so we suggest the best view is from the outskirts of town, or somewhere where the skies are clear. 
  • Their visibility is more in the interior and arctic regions. 
  • Fairbanks is one of the best places to view the Northern Lights of Alaska, Its location, dark skies in winter, aurora activity, tours, and activities everything is perfect here. 
  • Coldfoot, Wiseman, Utqiagvik (Barrow), and Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse are other places to see these magical lights. 
  • Plan your trip with all your winter clothes to keep healthy and safe during your memorable trip.

Best Time to See Northern Lights in Alaska

So you will know about the best time to visit Alaska to view the northern lights in the forthcoming year:

  • The best season to see these northern lights in Alaska is between August to late April or peaking in March. However, the longer night season is best for aurora borealis.
  • The display of northern lights is more around September and March because during this season the magnetic field of the earth and the solar wind are in sync. 
  • One should prefer clear skies march is the best month to prefer during spring to maximize your chance of viewing the northern lights of Alaska. 
  • If you see longer nights and clear skies get ready to see these magical lights. 
  • Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks says the best time to see the aurora is around midnight, give or take an hour. However, they occur at any time.

FAQs

What is the best month to see the northern lights in Alaska?

The time to see the Northern Lights of Alaska is from August 21 to April 21. Visitors call it Aurora season, because of the time to get the best view of these lights. 

Do the northern lights happen every night in Alaska?

See these dancing lights in the sky around 4 to 5 nights when the sky is clear and dark. 

What causes the northern lights in Alaska?

Aurora Borealis is caused because electrically charged particles released by the sun travel 150 million km across space to Earth and strike the upper layer of Earth. 

Why is Alaska not dark at night?

The Midnight Sun occurs because of the Earth’s tilt about its orbit around the sun. The earth’s axis between the North and South poles is angled 23.5 degrees away from the plane of the earth’s orbit around the sun. Globes are tilted to illustrate this angle.