Blog

Aurora Nights: The Endless Dance of the Northern Lights The northern lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are the light of dawn. The term is derived from Aurora, the goddess of dawn, and Boreas, the northern wind personified. The northern lights appear when the sun’s highly charged solar wind particles collide with air molecules in the earth’s atmosphere, transferring their energy into light. This occurs around the Polar Regions, where those magnetic fields converge. These magnetic fields create auroral ovals around our planet’s top and bottom, which move and distort as the earth rotates and solar flare activity increases. They usually occur between 60 and 75 degrees of latitude, covering northern parts of Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Alaska, Russia, and Iceland. Fairbanks, Alaska, is in my backyard, and it is an affordable trip to witness the Northern Lights for those on the West Coast. While Norway offers a romantic allure, with Tromso as a premier spot for aurora viewing, Fairbanks sits within the Northern Lights aurora oval, offering a budget-friendly opportunity to witness nature’s stunning light display. According to Space.com, “The next 4 to 5 years will be the best time to see the northern lights this solar cycle. With a promising aurora forecast for the coming years, now is the best time to plan your aurora sightseeing trip.” Initially, our plans for our Fairbanks trip were a long weekend getaway, giving us two chances to catch a glimpse of the Aurora. Of course, there are no guarantees when encountering Mother Nature’s wonders. Amidst my preparations, I stumbled upon a wealth of knowledge embodied in one individual—Amy, the Aurora Borealis Notifications Group curator on Facebook. Despite my persistent inquiries for assurances, her response remained consistent: with clear skies, no light pollution, and a stay for at least five days in Fairbanks, the odds of witnessing the Aurora are greatly enhanced. We chased her at night and slept most of the day! Though there are things to see in Fairbanks, like the ice sculptures in March, you can drive to the North Pole, Alaska, to see the Christmas store open all year round or walk around downtown. There are a few good places to eat but little to do, in my opinion. Other travelers may have different interests, such as hiking. It was just too cold for us.  I recommend staying for five days in Fairbanks to increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights.  Here’s what a 5-day trip to Fairbanks in March looks like. Day 1:  Most flights tend to land either late at night or early in the morning. Ours arrived at 1 a.m. We stayed at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge, which offers airport shuttle services. By 1:30 AM, we were at the hotel. Upon arrival, we heard people exclaiming and running outside, “She’s out there!” Hastily leaving our luggage at the front desk, we dashed outside. It was a mind-blowing moment to witness her presence without any effort on our part. The Aurora dance continued for a while before we realized it was time to check in and catch some sleep. It was already 3:00 in the morning.  Her majesty welcomed us; fortunately, we didn’t have to venture far.  Day 2:  We arranged a photography tour with Aaron of Fairbanks Aurora Tour the following evening. While witnessing the Northern Lights is never guaranteed, Aaron assured us he’d try to locate them. Upon picking us up, he warned us we might need to venture far due to cloudy conditions around Fairbanks. He continues to check the weather updates on his phone while driving to our destination. We arrived at our first and second locations, but after discovering it would be cloudy, we moved on. He was an exceptional guide, with knowledge and enthusiasm for the Aurora.  Eventually, we found ourselves seemingly in the middle of nowhere, on the riverbank of the Nenana area. At -10 degrees, the biting cold numbed us, literally and figuratively. It had fresh snow, so you have to be careful and not wander, as you will fall. Well, that was me who wandered and fell! We found a spot, and most group members set up their photo gear, preparing for the Aurora. We had to get a new tripod earlier that day as ours froze and broke last night while taking photos of the Aurora out in the cold. My son, Nathan, was brave enough to be out in the cold setting up his new tripod, hoping the tripod would not freeze and break again. He patiently waited out in the cold and was ready to shoot when she came out. It was a very long wait. Thankfully, Aaron’s van had reliable heating that kept some of us warm. He diligently monitored the weather conditions as we patiently waited for the appearance of the Aurora.  It was 1:30 a.m., and after two hours of anticipation, the Aurora Borealis graced us with her majestic presence, dancing brilliantly before our eyes. We stayed at the riverbank until 4 AM and returned to the hotel at 5:30 AM. We continued to see her on our way back, and she was also visible at the hotel. We were excited and continued to wander around the hotel’s waterfront and gaze at the beautiful Aurora. We just can’t get enough!  Although this was a photography tour, half the people, including me, did not carry big cameras and lenses. Half of the people had their iPhones. This was a group of 10 people in a small van. Everyone got along and was respectful of the rules that were given to us. They also avoided turning on their phone flashlights to prevent light pollution and help adjust their eyes to the dark. Aaron also only used a red light, which is best for adjusting the eyes to night vision.     Day 3: We reserved two spots with Alaska Aurora Adventure for an Aurora viewing. Heather, the owner, graciously fetched us from our hotel and whisked us to the North Pole. They are a