Home Forums Gear Photography Some Northern lights (Alaska)

Cloudy night:

Another night two weeks ago:

Just fantastic!

These are just spectacular!!!! It's on the top my bucket list to see this with my own eyes. Any spot better than another for viewing? Thank you for sharing.

As always, envious.

From mid September through March. Since the winters are so cold, the most comfortable months usually are September to November, and then March. The problem is that sometimes we have cloud covers that last for several days a time, so the best chance to see them is by spending two or three weeks around here. There are a few places that cater to tourists wanting to see the Northern Lights, some on the outskirts of Fairbanks.

I just drive a couple of miles to places where there aren't street or traffic lights to photograph the Auroras, but to view them you can do it right from your porch

Beautiful shots....

Thanks so much for the tips! If I stayed for two or three weeks, I probably wouldn't leave. LOL. Seriously, I cried at the airport in Anchorage when I left after my first visit. I would be proud to one day call AK home!

If it wasn't so darn expensive and cold up here (Fairbanks), I would stay until the day I die. For taking photos of the Auroras, it's best around Fairbanks, or at least out of Anchorage toward Denali Park. Less light pollution, and wide open areas is what you want.

I've been as far as Denali Park but couldn't convince anyone else to push into Fairbanks. It was also the wrong time of year for the Auroras. I have a picture hanging in my house of the Auroras taken just outside of Fairbanks but these are soooooo much better!

Once you make it to Denali Park the drive to Fairbanks is easy But Fairbanks itself is not really the best looking place other than a few locations in town. For example, some good Alaska-brewed beer at the Silver Gulch, the Museum at the University, and the hot springs if you are into that sort of stuff. Fort a good fillet of mignon, the Valatta, Chinese food at the Pagoda in North Pole, etc.

Beautiful shots, and very interesting to view! Great stuff! Thanks for sharing!

Eric

I like the curves in the sky lights of the last image. Being accessible to seeing them must be nice for you.

Thank you EricM, and RedRabbit.

Awesome!

I wanted desperately to see this ever since learning about it in elementary school. We were treated to a pretty good display in Northern Ohio around ten years ago but nothing like your pics.

The Auroras can be quite bright in the interior of Alaska (around Fairbanks), but sometimes we have cloud covers that last a few days. We get a lot of Japanese Northern Lights watchers from September to April, who spend several weeks waiting for the lights to show.