Aurora Borealis

[mnbruce]

Hello to all here. We will be on the Oosterdam on Sept. 6th headed to Alaska. Photography is a hobby of mine and I was wondering if anyone who has been on these alaskan cruises has ever viewed the Northern Lights? I have only had one opportunity to shoot these and would love another chance. Thanks.

[lovesublime]

We've been to Alaska twice and have never seen the northern lights. We were just there the last week of June and the reports were that they were very active. The problem is that it just didn't ever get dark enough for viewing. There is actually a website that forecasts aurora activity. It was posted on the Alaska forum. Perhaps you could do a quick search.

[lovesublime]

I found it.

 

http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/

 

Also, you may want to check out this thread.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=799793&highlight=northern+lights

[mnbruce]

Thank you very much Lovesublime for the response. It's greatly appreciated. That link told me what I needed to know.

[jtl513]

To get the best views you have to get up around Fairbanks because when you're along the coast they are generally too low on the horizon. Capt Albert, on the Veendam, reported on HIS BLOG on June 9th:

 

The nights at the moment are more a prolonged dusk. I am waiting to see the first signs of the Northern Lights, or the Aurora Borealis, but nobody on the other ships have reported any sightings yet. However we are not even half way through the season, so there is more than enough time for them to appear.

 

No mention of them since then. We were in Fairbanks and Denali last Sept, and didn't see any.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done quite a few Alaskan cruises -- never saw it -- from May through September.

[mnbruce]

Jtl513,thank you for the response. I was wondering what the light conditions would be,you answered that. I see you are from the Space Coast. We were down in March looking at properties near the beach in Cape Canaveral and I was shooting birds(photographing) at the Veira Wetlands. Nice area you live in.

 

Krazy Kruizers,it's looking like the odds are not very good,thanks for your response.

[Robin7]

Two of my kids are working in Alaska this summer. One is a Cruisetour bus driver for HAL, assigned to Fairbanks. The other works in a gift shop just outside of Denali National Park. Both of them tell me it's too light at night to see the Northern Lights. According to my daughter who sleeps in Healy, "the sun barely sets and then it's up again!" LOL.

 

Robin

[snowcat]

We cruised to Alaska in early September and saw northern lights one evening on a stroll around the deck after the show. As I recall it was around midnight because I wanted to call some people we had met from South Carolina who had never seen northern lights but didn't want to call that late. We live in northern Minnesota so see northern lights a few times a year, but it was still a real treat to see the Alaskan ones.....very green and actively swirly.

[mnbruce]

Robin,your children have cool summer jobs! Thanks for the info.

 

Snowcat,we used to see them often when we went to the Boundry Waters years ago. I've seen them a few times when at our cabin,but rarely have they been spectacular. Thanks

[Robin7]

Robin,your children have cool summer jobs! Thanks for the info.

 

They are having such a great time that I want to go and join them! (My younger kids might miss me, though. :p )

 

I have been thinking about maybe flying up there and renting a car late next month so I asked about the Northern Lights since I would kind of like to see them, as well as Denali.

 

Happy cruising.

 

Robin

[Pete Jackson]

The best chances to see the Aurora Borealis on an Alaskan cruise would be in September when the nights get longer. The best place on the ship to see it would be on the Sports deck near the Crow's nest, or on the Sky Deck on top of the crow's nest, since these parts of the ship are near the Navigation Bridge and must be kept dark. Of course, it can be windy up there, so dress appropriately.:o

[Boytjie]

The best chances to see the Aurora Borealis on an Alaskan cruise would be in September when the nights get longer. The best place on the ship to see it would be on the Sports deck near the Crow's nest, or on the Sky Deck on top of the crow's nest, since these parts of the ship are near the Navigation Bridge and must be kept dark. Of course, it can be windy up there, so dress appropriately.:o

 

And hope for clear skies! We did not have much of that on out cruise. :(

[mnbruce]

Thanks Pete,that brings up another question for later. What to bring for clothing.

 

Boytjie,it appears crappy weather is highly possible on this cruise from what I have read. Thanks

[PennyAgain]

The earlies I've ever seen the Northern Lights in Alaska was just after Labor Day. I was in the mountains above Anchorage and saw them extremely well. Other than that about the earliest I've seen them was the 2nd week in Sept.

 

If you are going to be on a cruise ship near Whittier or Seward about the same time, I would sure keep a watch for the Northern Lights.

[Liv4cruzin]

I was under the impression that the Northern lights are more common in the winter months. And not just because of the long periods of darkness. At least that's what I was told on my recent Norwegian fjords cruise. And, then again, things may be entirely different in Norway than in Alaska.

[Boytjie]

Thanks Pete,that brings up another question for later. What to bring for clothing.

 

Boytjie,it appears crappy weather is highly possible on this cruise from what I have read. Thanks

 

Well, we hit the high 30's in Glacier Bay with rain and were in the 70's with sunshine in Sitka and Ketchikan.

 

Go for layering, some weather proof gear, gloves, knit caps.. and shorts! Prepare for anything.

[mnbruce]

Peter,I appreciate the clothing tips Peter.

 

 

I was under the impression that the Northern lights are more common in the winter months. And not just because of the long periods of darkness. At least that's what I was told on my recent Norwegian fjords cruise. And, then again, things may be entirely different in Norway than in Alaska.

 

I am not an expert but I know it is related to activity on the sun. In the winter here we can have 5 more hours of darkness which would give you more opportunity to see them. This was taken in the begining of August two years ago in Minnesota.

 

[Saga Ruby]

The "Northern Lights" are more common in September and October, then March and April depending on solar activity. Whether you see them or not is quite dependent on the "Midnight Sun" effect in northern latitudes where the Lights may be dancing thru the skies but a lingering or strong sun at night will dim or cancel the ability to see the Lights.

 

I have been in Far North climes many times but have never seen the Lights, much to my dismay. However, I'm reluctant to visit Iceland or Svalbard in March to see them.

 

Ruby

[huskypup]

I used to see the Northern lights quite regularly when I lived in North Scotland - my house had a dormer window that looked out into the Moray Firth, I used to lay in bed and watch them - an amazing sight.

[Hoyaheel]

We were fortunate enough to see them last September--as we landed in Fairbanks! What a welcome to the state:D (it was about 11:30pm) We also saw them a couple days later, at my brother's in Delta Junction. We were very very lucky!

[jtl513]

And, then again, things may be entirely different in Norway than in Alaska.

Not really. They're a ring around the pole that advances and retreats, so Norway and AK probably don't see them the same way on any given night.

 

We were fortunate enough to see them last September--as we landed in Fairbanks! What a welcome to the state:D (it was about 11:30pm) We also saw them a couple days later, at my brother's in Delta Junction. We were very very lucky!

We were in Fairbanks on the 12th and 13th, and Denali on the 13th and 14th, and saw nothing. We had lots of clouds and rain. :(

[Hoyaheel]

We were in Fairbanks on the 12th and 13th, and Denali on the 13th and 14th, and saw nothing. We had lots of clouds and rain. :(

I'm sorry! We had the most amazing weather--sunny, warm (mid 70s during the day!!) I think we landed in Fairbanks the Thursday before Labor Day? I know we drove to Delta and spent 3 nights there--brother works for the govt, so he had Labor Day as a holiday (as did I, since I too was working for the govt at the time) So it was definitely the first weekend of Sept. 2007 when we had great weather & saw the lights. Our cruise boarded Sept. 5 I think....(sad how vivid things were a few months ago have dimmed now that I have a new cruise to think about:p )

 

Not Denali, but...Mountains in the distance from Delta:

 

 

Of course we don't have photos of the aurora borealis.....

[Liv4cruzin]

Thanks for clarifying that for me. Since I only travel to these areas during the summertime, I doubted that I would ever experience the aurora. Thanks for sharing the photo mnbruce. It's quite beautiful.

[Saga Ruby]

I used to see the Northern lights quite regularly when I lived in North Scotland - my house had a dormer window that looked out into the Moray Firth, I used to lay in bed and watch them - an amazing sight.

 

Now see? I was at Skye and Mallaig some years ago and asked if the Lights were "available" up there. They said they see them all the time but, alas and alack, my timing was less than impeccable.

 

I am green with envy that you could enjoy them from your dormer window. [heavy sigh]

 

Ruby