Northern Lights

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Alaska is one of the best places on earth to see the northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis – colorful bands of light that dance in the dark night sky. Travelers from all over the world come to Alaska to see this stunning display and take advantage of other winter experiences like snowmobiling, dog mushing, skiing, festivals, and sporting events.

The northern lights occur all four seasons of the year, although they are harder to see under the Midnight Sun. The best time to see the northern lights in Alaska is between August and April, when less daylight leads to darker night skies.

Fairbanks is one of the best places to view the northern lights in Alaska due to its location, hours of darkness in winter, auroral activity, and the number of tours, activities, and accommodations dedicated to northern lights viewing. Other locations and towns in the Interior and Arctic regions offer more remote northern lights viewing opportunities including Coldfoot, Wiseman, Utqiagvik (Barrow), and Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse. Not planning on traveling that far north? The northern lights can be seen throughout the state, though your chances of seeing them reduce as you travel south.