The best months to see the aurora in Fairbanks

Do you guys want to see the Aurora? You can watch the aurora in Fairbanks, which is known as the capital of the northern lights. Friends who want to see the aurora should not miss it. Here is the relevant introduction to the activities, let’s go and see it together.

Fairbanks aurora viewing methods and observation points

Fairbanks is known as the "Northern Lights Capital", and its dry climate makes it less cloudy and clear. winter weather. With Fairbanks as the center, it is not only a "perfect" aurora observation destination, but also has many winter ice and snow activities, so you will not be bored during the day.

Best observation season and time

Seasonally speaking, because the aurora must appear at night~, Alaska has long days and short nights in summer, and there is also the polar day phenomenon with almost no night. You definitely won’t be able to see the aurora; therefore, from September to March every year, there are more than ten hours of darkness a day, which is the best time to observe the aurora. It’s almost completely dark in December, with only a few hours of daylight. You can watch the aurora every day, but there aren’t many daytime activities, so you have to choose carefully.

In terms of time, generally 10 pm to 2 am is the time period with the highest probability of auroras appearing. As long as the weather is clear, the probability of encountering auroras is greatly increased.

Best observation location

Fairbanks → Head east, more than half an hour’s drive, to the cabin on the top of the mountain in the suburbs. It can be far away from the light pollution of the city, the terrain is high, and the business is open enough. Professional photographers usually come here to shoot aurora. The cabin is equipped with tables, chairs, heaters and hot drinks. In the warm cabin, you can adjust the pixels of your mobile phone and camera at any time and wait for nature's aurora show.

Fairbanks→Further east, an hour and a half drive, is Chena Hot Springs. Because it is in a valley, the night sky is dark enough, so you can take a bath while waiting. You can obviously see the aurora after it appears; but because it is not open enough, you may not be able to see it comprehensively. So some people choose to give up the warm and comfortable soup pool and walk to the slightly higher mountain behind (it takes about 15 minutes to wait for the aurora). There is a cabin with heating, chairs, and a large floor-to-ceiling window facing the north. You can sit comfortably in the room Wait patiently for the aurora to appear.

Fairbanks → Go north, 6 and a half hours’ drive (cross the Arctic Circle along the Dalton Highway, the road conditions are dangerous or you can go directly by small plane, Cotford Coldfoot is a small polar area. Wooden house. Cotford is located in the center of the Northern Lights Ring, with only about 10 people. It has a dormitory, a cafe, a tire repair shop, a gas station, a post office, and a small airport. In addition to watching the aurora in winter, there are also You can participate in dog sledding activities.

Fairbanks→Further north, 7 hours’ drive away, WisemanVillage is probably the northernmost village in the world that is inhabited all year round. It is remote and has no light pollution, making it a perfect place to watch the stars and other auroras. However, due to local protectionism, outside tour groups or individuals are generally not allowed to enter easily.

It is also important to do your homework in advance

The official website of the University of Alaska Fairbanks will publish the aurora activity status within 28 days every day. The data is obtained from NOAA, which is still very accurate. From 1 to 9, the larger the number, the more aurora. Strong. In August, there are usually level 3~4, or even level 5; after September, it is usually above level 5. Of course, if the aurora level is very high, it will still not be seen in rainy weather, so it must be combined. The weather conditions of the day will be used to determine the possibility of seeing the aurora.

The aurora intensity query website is as follows

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/Alaska

Food and accommodation recommendations

Accommodation: There are no luxury five-star hotels in Alaska, because in the eyes of Europeans and Americans, Alaska’s status is equivalent to Tibet in the eyes of the Chinese. It is a pure place that cleanses the mind and purifies the soul, so traveling here is not just for enjoying luxury. For this reason, there are mostly affordable and comfortable three-star hotels in the area. Although the facilities of these hotels are not all the latest, they are very good. It’s clean and feels very warm.

Eat: Of course when you come to the United States, you have to drink a lot and eat a lot of meat. In Alaska, you have to talk about the steaks, wild king crab legs and beer. Whether you come to a street food stall or a regular restaurant, the local cuisine style is all large and full of ingredients. One person orders and two people eat.

There is also Alaska beer, which is brewed from pure glacier water. It tastes slightly bitter but has a mellow taste that is simply irresistible. Just thinking about it makes you mouth-watering!