Fairbanks and the Aurora Borealis 

     Fairbanks has ‘the best seat in the house’ when it comes to viewing the beautiful Northern Lights, the Aurora Borealis. The crystal clear nights and its proximity to the magnetic North Pole will give us excellent viewing conditions for the Lights, ranging in colors from brilliant yellow-green to red, purple and blue. 

     The Aurora has a curtain-like shape 60 to 70 miles high, about 10 times higher than a jet aircraft flies. Like a neon sign, auroral light is produced by a high-vacuum electrical discharge powered by interactions between the Sun and earth. The light is the glow from atoms and molecules in earth’s upper atmosphere. Because the auroral display varies from night to night, we have included four nights of viewing in this tour.     

     Based on the success of our 2001 trip, we are pleased to offer this all-new trip for 2002. We have added one more night (a total of four nights) of observing; we will again meet with Jan Curtis, from the Geophysical Institute, who will talk to us about forecasting the aurora using information available on the internet, and show us his best  photos of the aurora. We will also visit with Neal Brown, Director of Poker Flat Research Range, and tour the facility’s control room and rocket assembly area. 

     For 2002 we have added such services as same-day photo pick-up and delivery to our hotel. This will give photographers day-by-day analysis of their picture-taking. If you wish to rent cold-weather clothing, we can arrange that too. Our hotel features suites with full kitchens, allowing you to choose to dine in or out. 

     Solar activity should again be strong in 2002. This means we have a good chance of seeing the aurora, so reserve your front-row seat today. Call today, (800) 830-1998. We look forward to sharing this incredible experience with you.