What Anchorage is Known For - The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)

The Aurora Borealis, also Known as the Northern Lights

The aurora actually occurs all year long, but the sky needs to be clear and dark to see it. Views are best from September to April. Winter is the prime viewing time. If you're staying in a hotel, ask them if they have a "northern lights wake-up call."

Anchorage's bright starry nights are nature’s perfect backdrop for dancing northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis.

Vibrant blues, pinks, greens and yellows sway in the sky, marking the path of the dancing aurora. The shimmering opus can be seen swirling in Anchorage’s starlit skies as early as 8 p.m. during winter months. They can be incredibly bright, multihued and fast moving.

Ionized gas particles hit the Earth’s magnetic field, resulting is an amazing phenomenon of undulating curtains of light that glow, ripple and sway, fold and unfold then suddenly disappear. The most common color is a brilliant yellow-green, and auroras can also produce red, blue and purples.

Fall, winter and spring are the prime seasons for viewing the northern lights, and the best displays tend to be accompanied by cloudless and moonless skies. The best hours are often near midnight. Of course, no one can guarantee when the aurora will be out. Visitors who wish to spot the northern lights should plan to spend a few days because the aurora is, like the weather, variable.

If you have any questions about the aurora, or suggestions to add to this article, please don't hesitate to contact us!