Fairbanks, Alaska Located just two degrees below the Arctic near international airport and close to the impressive Denali National Park, Fairbanks is the best place in the U.S. to take in the northern lights. It even has its own forecast system and offers tours to take visitors far from city lights.
Where is the closest place to see the Northern Lights?
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is by far one of the best places in the world to view the northern lights, as it’s located directly under the auroral oval. This ring-shaped zone sits over the Earth’s geomagnetic North Pole, where aurora activity is concentrated.
What US cities can you see the Northern Lights from?
The Best Places to See the Northern Lights in the United States
- Fairbanks, Alaska.
- Panhandle National Forest, Idaho.
- Acadia National Park, Maine.
- Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Michigan.
- Cook County, Minnesota.
- Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota.
- Glacier National Park, Montana.
- Mount Washington Valley, New Hampshire.
Where is the best place in the US to see the Northern Lights?
Alaska
Alaska. Because of its location within the auroral oval and dark skies, Alaska is one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights, and lucky for American travelers, you don’t even need a passport to get there.
Where is the best place to see the Northern Lights in 2022?
Fairbanks, Alaska, is the best place to see the Northern Lights in the United States. That doesn’t mean that you can’t see the Northern Lights in other US states or areas in Alaska, but this is the accessible city with the highest chances of seeing the Aurora.
Is 2022 a good year to see the northern lights?
“There will continue to be aurora viewing opportunities in 2022,” Steenburgh said. “The solar cycle is indeed ramping up and as solar activity increases, so do the chances for Earth-directed blobs of plasma, the coronal mass ejections, which drive the geomagnetic storms and aurora.”
What month is best to see the northern lights?
The best time to see the Northern Lights is on clear nights around midnight during the Aurora season starting at the end of August and finishing by mid-April. However, if you are at a lower latitude and there is a big solar storm, you can enjoy the Aurora even during the summer months, like June or July.
Do the Northern Lights happen every night?
No. Huge geomagnetic storms, the kind that can cause very intense displays of the northern lights, don’t happen every night, even during solar maximum. During solar minimum, they still happen, just less frequently.
Is there a city in the Northern Lights?
1. Tromso, Norway. Based in the heart of the aurora zone in the Norwegian Arctic, the city is widely regarded as one of the world’s best places to see the Northern Lights.
How often do the Northern Lights happen?
Fortunately, they occur frequently. “The northern lights are happening 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” said photographer Chad Blakely, owner of the northern lights tour company Lights Over Lapland (opens in new tab).
Where on America can you see the Northern Lights in 2022?
Northern lights 2022: 10 photos of possible aurora borealis sightings in parts of US
- Marshall, North Dakota.
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan.
- Washington state.
- Gooseberry Falls State Park, Minnesota.
- Sequim, Washington.
- Northern Michigan.
- Hammond Bay, Michigan.
- Artist Point, Washington.
Are Northern Lights visible everyday?
While technically, the Northern Lights are present for much of the year, there aren’t enough hours of darkness to see them during the summer months, even above the Arctic Circle. The winter season in the Arctic lasts from late September to late March/ early April.
What is the easiest way to see the Northern Lights?
Head north. The best way to see the northern lights is to head north. Most of the molecular activity that causes the northern lights happens near the Earth’s magnetic poles. For that reason, the Arctic region is an ideal location for hunting the aurora.
How do I plan a trip to the Northern Lights?
Some things to consider when planning a trip to see the Aurora borealis include:
- They are visible between September and April.
- Pick a night that is as dark as possible.
- Get as far away from a city as possible, as light pollution impacts the view.
- The night should be clear, with little to no cloud cover.
What day is the Northern Lights 2022?
With a little luck, residents in the northern reaches of the US might be able to spot the northern lights the night of April 13 into the morning of April 14.
How long do Northern Lights last in a night?
A good display may last for no longer than 15-30 minutes at a time, although if you’re really lucky, it could extend to a couple of hours or longer. To see the Northern lights, the sky needs to be dark and clear of any clouds. Some people claim the aurora comes out when temperatures are colder.
How long do Northern Lights normally last?
The length of the display also varies depending on the solar activity. Generally, you can expect a good light show to last between 15 and 30 minutes. And if you’re really lucky, it may go on for a couple of hours.
How far in advance can Northern Lights be predicted?
As a naturally occurring phenomenon, the appearance of the Northern Lights is notoriously difficult to predict any further in advance than about two hours before it happens.
Which country has the most Northern Lights?
The best places to see the aurora borealis are the Nordic countries of Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland, which lie within or near the Arctic Circle. You could also look for them in Russia, Alaska, and Canada’s northwest territories.
Can you see Northern Lights from a plane?
A passenger got a stunning aerial view of the aurora borealis thanks to a perfectly timed flight. The aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, is an astronomical phenomenon where curtains of colored light fill the night sky in the Northern Hemisphere.
Can Northern Lights be seen in Colorado?
The so-called Northern Lights probably won’t be visible in Colorado, though.