Auroras or aurorae sometimes referred to as polar lights aurora polaris northern lights aurora borealis or southern lights aurora australis is a natural light display in the earth s sky predominantly seen in high latitude regions around the arctic and antarctic.
Where r the northern lights located.
The northern lights also known as the aurora borealis are a spectacular natural light show visible at certain times of the year in the northern hemisphere.
Of course the most important thing you can do in alta sees the northern lights.
It s home to the geophysical institute at the university of alaska fairbanks.
The northern lights can be seen from regions both north and south of the auroral zone but the likelihood decreases with distance.
There is plenty to do in alta.
Located on the u s canadian border roughly 250 kilometers north of bangor maine aroostook county is sparsely populated so there s little to no light pollution to obstruct your aurora screening although the northern lights are more common near the arctic this county is far enough north for the aurora borealis to make an appearance.
This small fjord town has a population of just under 15 000 but don t worry.
The auroral oval meaning the area with the highest probability of seeing the northern lights covers most of alaska northern parts of canada the southern half of greenland iceland northern norway sweden and finland.
The southern lights or aurora australis occur most frequently over antarctica which really only appeals to a few research scientists and penguins.
You could follow in.
The city of fairbanks in alaska is often cited as the best place to see the northern lights in the united states.
There is a corresponding auroral zone around the southern magnetic pole but these southern lights are largely only seen from antarctica and the surrounding ocean.
The lights appear in both the northern and southern hemispheres and even on other planets but from an aurora hunting point of view only the northern lights are a genuinely viable option.