Lady Aurora
The solstice is an important date for Alaskans who have been facing ever increasing darkness over the past couple of months. Now it is only 1 week away and has been a topic of overheard conversations more than once in recent days. Finally, after December 21, we will turn a corner and begin to get our daylight back. It is difficult enough for us in the lower part of the state with only 5 hours of sunlight, but for those inside the arctic circle (Utqiagvik on the north shore for example) the sun sank below the horizon on November 19 and will not be seen again there until January 22. As we say in Minnesota: Uff-da!
There is one benefit to the cold dark nights however: frequent sightings of Lady Aurora. The first time we saw the Northern Lights here in Alaska was only a few days after we arrived. It was early January 2014 and we had just finished 5 days of driving on the Alcan Highway from Minneapolis to Palmer. We didn't yet have furniture and were laying down for the night on our makeshift pile of blankets on the floor (ah to be young and newly married and think not having furniture is an "adventure"). I spotted a glow out the window and wondered aloud if it was the Northern Lights. That being confirmed, Brad bundled up, grabbed his camera and headed up to nearby Hatcher's Pass until the wee hours of the morning to capture it, free from light pollution.
The Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, are a beautiful natural phenomenon that occurs when charged particles from the sun's atmosphere collide with particles from Earth's atmosphere and cause them to glow. The color of light emitted depends on the type of molecule that is excited (oxygen, nitrogen, etc). That's about as technical as I'm able to understand at this point so I'll leave it at that. Suffice it to say, it's some pretty cool science. Green is the most common color we see, with occasional streaks of red or purple mixed in. Sometimes they appear as a vague glow, and sometimes we get incredible ribbons of light that dance across the sky.
Alaska, particularly Fairbanks, is a popular destination for viewing the Northern Lights. There are a number of tour guide companies offering aurora viewing packages which also include things like sandwiches and hot cocoa and dips in the local hot springs. These are particularly popular among winter tourists, but the truth is that they can't guarantee a sighting and you're just as likely to see them on your own if you're in the area. We don't ever really go looking for them but are pleasantly surprised when we occasionally spot them from our window, while starting the car in the morning, or while driving home from an evening in Anchorage. A few tips for optimal viewing if you're going on your own:
- Look for a clear, cold, starry night away from any light pollution
- Grab your coffee - 10 pm to 2 am is prime viewing time
- Check the Aurora Borealis Notifications Facebook group (or similar) for up to date info on when and where people are catching glimpses of the lights.
Also, there's a rumor that conceiving under the Northern Lights is good luck and will get you a baby boy. So there's that...
Here's to finding light in the darkness, looking forward to long sunny summers, and (when all else fails) just escaping to Hawaii for a Christmas dose of vitamin D!