Seeing the Northern Lights on an Alaska Vacation

One of the best parts of anyall-inclusive Alaskan vacation, whether you're coming primarily for fishing, wildlife tours or any other purpose, is how many different wonderful attractions there are. Even if your main purpose for the trip is one of the activities we just listed, you'll have plenty of time to experience several other forms of Alaska's beauty -- and one of the most well-known forms of this beauty is found in the viewing of the northern lights.

At Pybus Point Lodge, while our primary services involve the very best fishing vacations, wildlife tours and other outdoor excursions in Alaska, we're also happy to guide our guests who are looking for additional activities to fill their time. The northern lights, also referred to as polar lights or Aurora Borealis, are beautiful forms of natural light that can only be seen in certain high-latitude regions -- including Alaska. In fact, we're just entering the prime part of the year for northern lights viewing in Alaska, which tends to span from mid-August through mid-April.

Why is Alaska such an ideal location for seeing the lights, and how can you increase your chances of seeing them if you have an Alaskan vacation upcoming? Here's a primer.

Why Alaska is the Best Location for Northern Lights Viewing

To be clear, Alaska is far from the only place on the map where you'll be able to see the northern lights. Others include Canada, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Greenland. However, most consider Alaska the single best location for northern lights viewing for Americans, for a few reasons:

• Simple travel: Booking travel to Alaska is much easier for Americans than to most or all of the other locations we just went over, starting with the fact that you won't need a passport. Those in major US hubs, or anywhere nearby, can get to Alaska in just a few hours.
• Wide-ranging time period: As we noted above, the northern lights are typically visible in Alaska from mid-August all the way through mid-April, and sometimes even longer.
• Odds of sight: Everyone wants to be 100% sure they get a great view of the lights, and Alaska offers you the best odds here. If you spend three consecutive nights looking for the lights, you have greater than a 90% chance of seeing them.

Increasing Your Chances of Seeing the Northern Lights

Now, it must be noted that there is no firm guarantee you'll see the northern lights when you visit Alaska, even during their typical visibility periods. They can be impacted by several factors, including cloud cover, atmospheric conditions and your location.

However, there are a few things you can do to increase your odds:

• Check the KP Index: The KP index is an international measurement of geomagnetic activity, shown on a scale from one to nine. A rating of three or above tends to indicate aurora visibility is possible. You can check the KP index at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's website.
• Get away from light pollution: With a bit of research, you should be able to find areas in Alaska where there isn't much – or any – outdoor lighting. The darker the location you visit, the greater your chance of seeing more of the lights.
• Plan several nights for viewing attempts: As we mentioned above, the odds of seeing northern lights go up dramatically if you spend three nights in a row viewing them. You'll have one shot on your first night there, another attempt on your second and a third chance on your last day -- or even more chances if you stay longer than three nights.
• Plan to stay up late: Viewing the northern lights requires staying up somewhat late, with typical viewing hours generally found between 10pm and 3am.
• Plan an early wake-up call: In other cases, you'll need to be ready to hop out of bed early. This is because the northern lights are known for being visible before sunrise, which is typically around 6am in Alaska.
• Utilize staff expertise: Our staff's expertise is valuable in numerous areas, including this one. Most of our staff members have lived in Alaska for years, and we're well-versed in themes like viewing the northern lights. While our primary services involve assisting clients with their fishing trips, wildlife tours and others, our staff members will happily offer recommendations and other tips for ensuring you catch the northern lights this year.

For more on seeing the northern lights in Alaska, or to learn about any of our fishing excursions, wildlife tours or other amenities, speak to the staff at Pybus Point Lodge today.