Advance planning for an aurora trip

In article <001c7848-7516-44d3-abb8-7b73bb7b1672.DeleteThis@j28g2000hsj.googlegroups.com>,
<AstroSketcher.DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote:
>On Feb 22, 3:56=A0pm, pat....DeleteThis@sonic.net (Patty Winter) wrote:
>
>> Assuming that one gets away from light pollution, would there
>> be any substantial difference in the quality of the aurorae
>> in, say, Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau? (Or Canadian cities
>> at equivalent latitudes.)
>
>I'm not aware of any practical differences.

Okay, that's good to know!


>If I were to go to Alaska (or Canada) to view aurorae I would avoid
>the cities -- expecially the major cities;-)

Oh, sure, that's why I mentioned getting away from light pollution.
I had a lovely time on the beach near the Glacier Bay Lodge one
evening for an hour or so. The aurorae weren't strong, but they
were pretty. And other than the lodge, there were no lights anywhere
in the evening.

>Some friends a year or
>two ago went to Alaska on business that involved flying (in a *small*
>plane) to *remote* parts of the state. They were hoping to see at
>least one spectacular aurora. They failed in the aurora department
>due to weather, but while they were gone I saw a nice display from my
>rural Montana yard!




> Of course, in addition to being at a
>suitable location you have to be there when the sky is clear,
>preferrably when the moon isn't anywhere near full, *and* when a
>decent aurora is present. In other words, it's best to not be limited
>to just a small number of nights. Being able to stay as long as it
>takes would be best.

Yeah, I was thinking that. Perhaps that's a good reason to do a trip
on my own instead of a planned trip with a group. Last time I was
there, it was rainy most of the time. I'll also pay attention
to moon rise and set times.


>Continue keeping an eye in the astronomy magazines and their
>websites. They sometimes organize aurora cruises, trips, vacations,
>etc. The publications themselves occasionally contain advertisements
>for independent cruises, etc.

Thanks, I will. I found one northern lights tour earlier today,
but of course it was for this year. And it also went to Iceland.
That would be fun, but I'll be content with something closer (and
less expensive!)


Patty
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

In article <47bf8087$0$19464$6c5eefc5@news.maximumusenet.com>,
L D'Bonnie <nobody.TakeThisOut@mts.net> wrote:
>
>You didn't say what time of the year you want to go.

I was thinking late summer/early fall. I arrived in Fairbanks
on Sept. 2nd last time I visited Alaska, and the mosquitoes
had just gone away. We got a fair bit of rain and some
snow, but overall, the temps were just fine. And, of course,
quite a bit of nighttime.

>I was out walking with my dogs watching the eclipse a few days ago.
>It was a balmy -26 deg C with hardly any wind. Mind you we're having
>a bit of a heat wave. It hasn't been below -40 deg C for a week now.

From the "mts.net" address, I'm guessing Manitoba? I actually
thought today about Gull Harbour Resort, where I went for the solar
eclipse in 1979. We had fun watching the aurorae during that trip,
although they weren't spectacular.


Patty
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

On 22 Feb 2008 22:56:14 GMT in rec.travel.usa-canada,
patty1.TakeThisOut@sonic.net (Patty Winter) wrote:

> Assuming that one gets away from light pollution, would there
> be any substantial difference in the quality of the aurorae
> in, say, Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau? (Or Canadian cities
> at equivalent latitudes.)

Yes. Fairbanks is at the best latitude, and since it is away
from the coast, has fewer cloudy days in the winter.
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

In article <jdn1s35dkbin9qmul9j9c5v4pi5drbp1ha DeleteThis @4ax.com>,
Dennis P. Harris <NO_SPAM_TO_dpharris DeleteThis @gci.net> wrote:
>On 22 Feb 2008 22:56:14 GMT in rec.travel.usa-canada,
>patty1@sonic.net (Patty Winter) wrote:
>
>> Assuming that one gets away from light pollution, would there
>> be any substantial difference in the quality of the aurorae
>> in, say, Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau? (Or Canadian cities
>> at equivalent latitudes.)
>
>Yes. Fairbanks is at the best latitude,

Is that because it's closer to where aurorae are being generated?

>and since it is away
>from the coast, has fewer cloudy days in the winter.

Ah, good to know, thanks!


Patty
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

Patty Winter wrote:
> I'm starting to suss out where to go in 2011 or 2012 for the
> peak of the solar cycle to see some really good aurorae. If
> I recall correctly, the viewing is actually better below the
> polar circle, right? (In this case, I'm aiming for the Arctic.)
> Assuming that one gets away from light pollution, would there
> be any substantial difference in the quality of the aurorae
> in, say, Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau? (Or Canadian cities
> at equivalent latitudes.)


I'm planning a trip to northwest Canada and Alaska this year, and also
hope to get some aurora viewing in. Of course, the long nights of winter
are likely best, but here's some links:

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/aurora_predict/worldmap6.html
http://www.spaceweather.com/
http://www.aurorachasers.com/
http://www.auroraborealisyukon.com/auroracast/
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/Aurora/index.html
http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/
http://www.salatshots.com/aurora-prediction.php
http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/lights.html

Best months statistically are March and September.
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

In article <62d781F229nktU1 RemoveThis @mid.individual.net>,
Gary Gapinski <usenet RemoveThis @garygapinski.com> wrote:
>
>I'm planning a trip to northwest Canada and Alaska this year, and also
>hope to get some aurora viewing in. Of course, the long nights of winter
>are likely best, but here's some links:

Thanks!

>Best months statistically are March and September.

That's perfect, as I was thinking of September.

Let us know how your trip goes!


Patty
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

On 24 Feb 2008 03:56:55 GMT in rec.travel.usa-canada, Patty
Winter <patty1.RemoveThis@wintertime.com> wrote:

> >Yes. Fairbanks is at the best latitude,
>
> Is that because it's closer to where aurorae are being generated?
>
yes, and because the nights are longer after the solstice.

besides, the recognized research center for auroras is there:

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/

check out their aurora forecast

and also look at

http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/TravelersGuide.htm
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

In article <47bf530e$0$36325$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net>,
Patty Winter <patty1 DeleteThis @sonic.net> wrote:
>I'm starting to suss out where to go in 2011 or 2012 for the
>peak of the solar cycle to see some really good aurorae. If
>I recall correctly, the viewing is actually better below the
>polar circle, right? (In this case, I'm aiming for the Arctic.)
>Assuming that one gets away from light pollution, would there
>be any substantial difference in the quality of the aurorae
>in, say, Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau? (Or Canadian cities
>at equivalent latitudes.)

You want to get away from the coast because of potentially obsuring cloudiness.

>Also, if anyone has heard murmurs about astronomer-led trips
>for solar max, let me know. I plan to keep an eye on the web-
>sites of some astronomy and other scientific organizations,
>but they so far only list trips up to 2009.

Get a copy of the Aurora Watcher's Handbook.
I loaned my copy out and never saw it again.

For some reason I've never seen auroras well in the lower 48.

The first time I saw the northern aurora was a Sept. a little more than
10 years ago when I lucked out and had a business trip to Fairbanks
where friends live. That was a Cray User Group meeting which stayed at
the Princess Cruises hotel which has an aurora number which will call
your room if they are particularly good. I stayed with my friends who
work at the Geophysical Institute of the UAF. Some of the people there
are the ones who study it. Their web site has been noted by others in
the thread.

I first saw it the weekend before our meeting flying up 4 hrs into the
Brooks helping my friends take their equipment out of a field site.
It appeared a thin wispy cloud in twilight. No discenible color.
Sept. isn't a great time to see color in an aurora.

Over the course of the week it was cloudy more than 1/2 the time.
It was visible in Fairbanks at times. People in the mtg. were happy to
see it, but I wasn't impressed.

So I came back on my own dime a couple of Decembers later on flyer miles.

That is a very different experience.

1) It's dark longer. 2hrs of day light.
2) It's considerably colder (last week the area around Fairbanks ranges
in lows from -40F to -60F.
3) Feb. is commonly cited as a good time to see aurora with color.
I had nice greens in December.
4) Glare might be a problem but I would not worry about it, a good
aurora will cut through glare. The most impressive display I had during
the period I was in Fairbanks happened when I drove over to North Pole
to drop X-mas cards off for the special Santa cancellation that post
office has. Coming back, the aurora stopped the traffic, people got out
of their cars (4 lanes). This is when I should have taken the photo
instead of outside my friend's various homes in outlying areas. That
trip was only -20F. I also should have dropped in on Bud Kuenzli who
used to post here. So the following year X-mas card were the aurora photos.
5) If I were going again to just see the aurora, I'd made a reservation
to stay at Chena Hot Springs a night or two.
6) To understand what it means to be -40F and colder, a friend's wife
teaches 3rd grade. The school system phones your home up to make
certain that kids aren't left home alone in case of power failure.
Other things: serious frostbite potential, square tires, block heaters
and electrical plugs every where.
7) Dinner at another friend's house had Will's wife say: "Wow, people do
come up here in winter for tourism!" And they were from Canadian originally.

They launch the aurora sounding rockets N at Poker Flat. Off the
Circle/Circle Hot Sprgs. road.
9) There is pipeline haul road traffic all the time. We're actually
looking at doing some work during winter up on the North Slope.

Transiting to get to Fairbanks in winter is also problematic.
Do spend a night and a full day in Anchorage. I've taken direct Seattle
to Fairbanks flts, but that transition can be too abrupt for a short trip.
Los Anchorage isn't anywhere near as cold as Fairbanks being near the sea.

I'm going to Norway and Iceland later this year with a bunch of long
time netters. And while I an expecting rain and clouds, I hope I get a
clear night to two. I did a prelim trip and that's when I met Dennis
who also posted on this thread on an 18 hr. stop in Juneau on the AK Ferry.

--
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

Patty,

My first ever Aurora I observed was from my own front yard located
just outside of Akron Ohio on March 23 1976.

Since moving to suburban Philadelphia in 1981 I have observed many
Aurorae from my own driveway.

If you live in the United States around 40 degrees N. Latitude you can
do it too!

Cost: in American dollars...Zero!
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

During a large magnetic storm a few years ago, I saw some amazing aurorae in
the Adirondack mountains in upstate NY. Of course, it would happen there
very infrequently.

I did see them in the Fairbanks and Anchorage AK areas while visiting about
3 years ago in early September. As suggested below, winter is better in
terms of numbers of hours of darkness.


"Eugene Miya" <eugene.RemoveThis@cse.ucsc.edu> wrote in message
news:47c30033$1@darkstar...
> In article <47bf530e$0$36325$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net>,
> Patty Winter <patty1.RemoveThis@sonic.net> wrote:
>>I'm starting to suss out where to go in 2011 or 2012 for the
>>peak of the solar cycle to see some really good aurorae. If
>>I recall correctly, the viewing is actually better below the
>>polar circle, right? (In this case, I'm aiming for the Arctic.)
>>Assuming that one gets away from light pollution, would there
>>be any substantial difference in the quality of the aurorae
>>in, say, Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau? (Or Canadian cities
>>at equivalent latitudes.)
>
> You want to get away from the coast because of potentially obsuring
> cloudiness.
>
>>Also, if anyone has heard murmurs about astronomer-led trips
>>for solar max, let me know. I plan to keep an eye on the web-
>>sites of some astronomy and other scientific organizations,
>>but they so far only list trips up to 2009.
>
> Get a copy of the Aurora Watcher's Handbook.
> I loaned my copy out and never saw it again.
>
> For some reason I've never seen auroras well in the lower 48.
>
> The first time I saw the northern aurora was a Sept. a little more than
> 10 years ago when I lucked out and had a business trip to Fairbanks
> where friends live. That was a Cray User Group meeting which stayed at
> the Princess Cruises hotel which has an aurora number which will call
> your room if they are particularly good. I stayed with my friends who
> work at the Geophysical Institute of the UAF. Some of the people there
> are the ones who study it. Their web site has been noted by others in
> the thread.
>
> I first saw it the weekend before our meeting flying up 4 hrs into the
> Brooks helping my friends take their equipment out of a field site.
> It appeared a thin wispy cloud in twilight. No discenible color.
> Sept. isn't a great time to see color in an aurora.
>
> Over the course of the week it was cloudy more than 1/2 the time.
> It was visible in Fairbanks at times. People in the mtg. were happy to
> see it, but I wasn't impressed.
>
> So I came back on my own dime a couple of Decembers later on flyer miles.
>
> That is a very different experience.
>
> 1) It's dark longer. 2hrs of day light.
> 2) It's considerably colder (last week the area around Fairbanks ranges
> in lows from -40F to -60F.
> 3) Feb. is commonly cited as a good time to see aurora with color.
> I had nice greens in December.
> 4) Glare might be a problem but I would not worry about it, a good
> aurora will cut through glare. The most impressive display I had during
> the period I was in Fairbanks happened when I drove over to North Pole
> to drop X-mas cards off for the special Santa cancellation that post
> office has. Coming back, the aurora stopped the traffic, people got out
> of their cars (4 lanes). This is when I should have taken the photo
> instead of outside my friend's various homes in outlying areas. That
> trip was only -20F. I also should have dropped in on Bud Kuenzli who
> used to post here. So the following year X-mas card were the aurora
> photos.
> 5) If I were going again to just see the aurora, I'd made a reservation
> to stay at Chena Hot Springs a night or two.
> 6) To understand what it means to be -40F and colder, a friend's wife
> teaches 3rd grade. The school system phones your home up to make
> certain that kids aren't left home alone in case of power failure.
> Other things: serious frostbite potential, square tires, block heaters
> and electrical plugs every where.
> 7) Dinner at another friend's house had Will's wife say: "Wow, people do
> come up here in winter for tourism!" And they were from Canadian
> originally.
>
> They launch the aurora sounding rockets N at Poker Flat. Off the
> Circle/Circle Hot Sprgs. road.
> 9) There is pipeline haul road traffic all the time. We're actually
> looking at doing some work during winter up on the North Slope.
>
> Transiting to get to Fairbanks in winter is also problematic.
> Do spend a night and a full day in Anchorage. I've taken direct Seattle
> to Fairbanks flts, but that transition can be too abrupt for a short trip.
> Los Anchorage isn't anywhere near as cold as Fairbanks being near the sea.
>
> I'm going to Norway and Iceland later this year with a bunch of long
> time netters. And while I an expecting rain and clouds, I hope I get a
> clear night to two. I did a prelim trip and that's when I met Dennis
> who also posted on this thread on an 18 hr. stop in Juneau on the AK
> Ferry.
>
> --
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

In article <7u35s3598q78r1ljam5vibsj87lbimqh25 RemoveThis @4ax.com>,
Dennis P. Harris <NO_SPAM_TO_dpharris RemoveThis @gci.net> wrote:
>On 24 Feb 2008 03:56:55 GMT in rec.travel.usa-canada, Patty
>Winter <patty1 RemoveThis @wintertime.com> wrote:
> [Dennis Harris wrote]
>> > Fairbanks is at the best latitude,
>>
>> Is that because it's closer to where aurorae are being generated?
>>
>yes, and because the nights are longer after the solstice.

Got it, thanks.

I'll check out those links, too.


Patty
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip 

In article <47c3174c$0$4928$4c368faf@roadrunner.com>,
Pieter <pvcl@*nospam*plitch.com> wrote:
>
>I did see them in the Fairbanks and Anchorage AK areas while visiting about
>3 years ago in early September. As suggested below, winter is better in
>terms of numbers of hours of darkness.

Oh, I certainly realize that. It's just that Fairbanks in February
has some downsides for those of us who are weather wimps. Anyway,
from what some have said here, dead of winter is not necessarily the
most active time for aurorae.


Patty
 >> Stay informed about: Advance planning for an aurora trip