Apparently the northern light auroras have been incredible lately, flaring up and producing spectacular displays over the weekend. The solar storms, likened to tornados, causing this display were recently captured by NASA. I’ve always wanted to see the northern lights, which apparently are going to peak in 2013. It’s one of the appeals of a trip to Alaska, but I usually find myself looking in a more equatorial direction for our vacations. Perhaps this summer or next we’ll try to time a trip to align with a solar storm. Wouldn’t seeing this in person be amazing?!
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I have always wanted to see the northern lights. And a trip to Alaska in the summer would be nice too.
i have never seen one and it’s just ridiculous! these are gorgeous.
Those photos are amazing!
Actually Alaska can be very warm… so I have heard! Here in MN we get some glimpses of the lights…but not like those! lol
A blogger who lives in the back country of Northern Canada took amazing photos of it and I about died. The world we live in is so beautiful sometimes I can’t grasp it’s beauty in my mind. Not until I see it. And then I’m blown away all over again.
In January we had the strongest solar storm hit our planet in years and there were sightings of the light show as far south as the Northern regions of the United States. NASA issues solar storm warnings from time to time and announces which areas and time we are most likely to see anything. I live too far south, but maybe you guys might catch a glimpse in this crazy time of space hurricanes. You gotta drive far out though, where it is pitch dark at night and a good view of the horizon line.
Also, its hard to see the lights in the summer in Alaska because it’s only dark at night for a few hours at night. In some northern parts, the sun never sets. I heard that the best time to go is during the spring of fall. A friend of mine lives in Fairbanks and seeing the aurora is just a normal occurrence. I couldn’t even imagine walking outside and seeing something so spectacular dancing overhead.
Wow these photos are incredible. It really does look like its dancing.
Here an a great astro-landscape time lapse:
http://vimeo.com/36684976
Ive always wanted to see this too (but only been to Iceland and Alaska at the wrong time of the year so I was out of luck)
My brother made a special visit to Iceland last year to see it (and otherwise freeze to death). His photos were equally impressive but he said in person, it wasn’t nearly as spectacular. The long exposures make it look like there is a big show of lights but its not quite that dramatic. Now perhaps he just got unlucky that week?
I still want to see it but I know not to get my hopes up. If you are still planning on making a visit, I hear the winter of 2013-2014 will be the best time see it in all its glory as thats when the 11 year ‘solar max’ is going to happen. So woo.
I would need someone to pinch me nonstop!!!
i think i would love to camp outside, in the wintertime, and watch the sky for something like that to appear. (obviously i’d have to go north of toronto, ontario, for that though! haha.)
i hope you guys go…i think it would be an amazing experience – a once-in-a-lifetime one. (plus, then i get to read your travelogue from there!)
’d
wow this is truly amazing to see ! i guess i’ve been in alaska in the wrong season as well =( don’t recall seeing anything like this before! But next spring/ fall i will plan a vacation rentals over there and i hope to be lucky enough to get to see this with my very own eyes! The video thata Jeff suggested is also stunning !! this makes me think of how much the nature is perfect and we don’t even notice!
I have recently become a little obsessed with seeing the Northern Lights, but I’m not sure it will ever happen. I hate being cold and the best time to see them is in the Winter. Still, I have this vision of seeing them on horseback. I don’t know where I got that idea. I hope when you go you get to see a great show.
This is so beautiful!! Thanks for sharing this, my boyfriend has always wanted to see the Northern Lights, so now that I know they will be peaking in 2013, I think it’s time to research a trip….! Exciting!!
I lived in Alaska for a year and we used to follow the local website for UAA and set our alarms to catch the bursts (usually at wee hours of the morning). The lack of sleep? Worth it. Alaska is much closer than going to Scandinavia.
This is one of my life long dreams! Good to know they will peak in 2013! Glad I came across your blog today