Will I see the Northern Lights in Alaska without a New Moon?

November 18, 2008 2:34 PM

Am I likely to see the North Lights during a trip to Alaska in late January or early February if I am not there during a new moon?

I was planning a trip to Alaska during the new moon at the end of January to see the Northern Lights. I may have a scheduling conflict that prevents this. If I make the trip to Fairbanks, AK in mid/late-January or very early February but am not present during a new moon, am I likely to still be able to see the display? The length of the trip would probably be about a week.

posted by tomorama to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

They generally appear at 27 day intervals, because that is the period of the sun's rotation, and some parts of the sun release more electromagnetic energy than others. So, they would be appearing approx 27 days after the last occurence. If you can find out when that was, you can calculate the next few appearances yourself.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:42 PM on November 18, 2008

I was there the beginning of March and saw them quite a bit.
posted by TurquoiseZebra at 2:43 PM on November 18, 2008

http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/
posted by theora55 at 2:46 PM on November 18, 2008 [1 favorite]

The only information I got from a former Fairbanks resident was:

I would think that that January should work. The variables (besides the moon) to consider are 1) clouds, and 2) solar activity. Regarding the clouds, it is luck of the draw whether or not clouds are blocking the sky.

Then he also recommended the Aurora Forecast from UAF.
posted by collocation at 2:57 PM on November 18, 2008

As to solar activity, right now the sun is at a historic low. We're at the predicted bottom of the sunspot cycle anyway, but even by the standards of sunspot lows the sun is particularly inactive, going weeks at a time without any sunspots at all.

So don't get your hopes up too far.
posted by Class Goat at 3:03 PM on November 18, 2008

The link above will help. Getting away from town and light pollution will really help. If you just step outside your motel, you probably won't see anything. Get in a car and drive out in the woods.

My friend who worked nights as a bylaw officer in a northern town used to get great pictures at 3 to 5 in the morning. Maybe it was just a fluke. Maybe it was because he was out late every night, all night that he got the best displays on camera. I doubt that there is any reason for there to be more activity at that particular time of night.

Over all this season has been quiet. Don't get your hopes up for a spectacular show, but if you've never seen them, even catching a faint glimpse can be exciting. They look like ghosts. If you have a digital SLR taking 30sec exposures can turn dull, faint lights into nice pictures. If you can beg, borrow, steal a camera with a tripod, do it. Even most point-and-shoot cameras now have exposure time options in the menu.
posted by Brodiggitty at 5:38 PM on November 18, 2008

Your mileage will vary. Some nights are better than others, depending on how much stuff the sun is squirting at us. But it also varies during the night. You could go out, look up, see nothing, and conclude 'there are no Northern Lights tonight,' but then, five minutes, a big display suddenly appears.

All you can do is try to improve your chances of seeing them. As others have mentioned, away from bright lights is a good idea. Like, miles away, so, when you look up at the sky, it looks BLACK. Someplace with a wide view of the sky, where you can see the northern horizon. Location matters, too. (Where in Alaska will you be?) Farther north is better. And of course, the longer you look, the greater your chances of seeing something, so dress (very!) warmly and relax with a hot beverage.

By the way, you can find out where the aurora is currently visible here.
posted by exphysicist345 at 4:45 PM on November 19, 2008