When/How to See the Northern Lights while in AK

If you are wanting to see the northern lights while traveling to Alaska there are many things you need to keep in mind in order to increase your likelihood of seeing them!

Time of Year/Day

This is one of the most important factors for being able to see the northern lights while visiting Alaska. Late August - April is the only time you will even have a chance to see the northern lights since during summer months the sun is out most of the day. 

Around the equinoxes, in September and March, is the best time to visit as you will have plenty of darkness but the temperatures will not be too cold. Mid-winter months provide more darkness than other months, increasing your odds of northern light visibility, but air temperatures will be very low. 

If there is a light show they will likely be visible anywhere from 10:00pm - 3:00am. 

Weather 

In order to see the northern lights you need dark, clear skies. This means no clouds or light pollution. If you are near a big city it may not get dark enough for you to see the lights. Simply head to the outskirts of towns or farther to get a better viewing! For clear skies, you cannot predict the weather nor change it. I suggest planning to stay for three or more nights which will increase your odds of having a clear night. 

Understanding Northern Lights & KP Index

The northern lights are caused by the Earth’s atmosphere and the Sun. The Sun constantly sends electrically charged particles from its surface, solar flares or storms are when higher numbers are released into space. Earth’s magnetic field usually deflects these particles. But because the magnetic field is weaker near the poles, during flares or storms, the particles can break through and reach the upper-atmosphere. When the particles hit Earth’s gasses (oxygen and nitrogen), the atoms gain energy then release it, which emits flashes of colorful light and that is what you are looking at when viewing the northern lights! The different colors you see have to do with the height of collisions and the different gasses. 

The KP index is a scale that measures the disturbances in Earth's magnetic field caused by solar wind. The KP index runs from 0-9 and is the best way to know if there will be a light show.

Here in Denali, a KP of 2-3 is usually enough to see some light on a very clear night, but not the deep colorful ones. Higher KP ratings means more visible light, ideally greater than 4. 

In order to know what the KP index is I suggest using the Aurora Forecast from the UAF Geophysical Institute. There are also many mobile apps you can download for other places around the country. 

Hopefully this blog was able to give you some insight on when and how to see the northern lights in Alaska! There are many variables and all can impact your chances. Best of luck!