To our naked eyes, this was actually a subtle, monochromatic display—visually arresting, if lacking in the pinks, purples, and blues of brighter showings. Our cameras, however, saw something else: An open aperture and extended exposure, it turns out, is usually what morphs milky slashes in the sky into curlicued bands of color (and excellent marketing material).
Seeing the northern lights virtually nixes the artistry of capturing your own images. (Screenshots don’t count.) But it also nixes the freezing cold temperatures, the waiting game, and the risk of not seeing the lights at all. Webcam equipment offers photographically enhanced sightings; depending on which site you choose, you can glue yourself to the screen with prolonged anticipation or watch highlight reels that cut to the chase. If you miss them one night, tuning in again requires no further investment. And putting off an actual trip can have its advantages: The lights brighten and fade in 11-year intervals as the sun’s magnetic field (and solar winds) reverse. This is a tough year; 2025 and 2026 will be the “solar maximum” peaks of the next cycle.
Why a Virtual Visit Matters
Fairbanks’s geographic position on the so-called auroral oval puts it in the same prime position for lights viewing as Iceland, northern Canada, and Scandinavia. Visit for just three nights, says Deb Hickok, president and chief executive officer of Explore Fairbanks, and you’ll have a 90% chance of seeing the lights. (Anchorage, meanwhile, lies outside the oval, though it’s been busy building a fledgling aurora business.)
All this represents a big—and growing—economic opportunity for Alaska, a state whose tourism industry is primarily built on more than 2 million summertime cruise visitors. This year was set to present a record number of winter arrivals: some 70,000 guests in Fairbanks alone, collectively accounting for 45% of the city’s direct tourism expenditures. The lights, as it seems, turn out longer stays and higher spends, both critical factors for a sustainable tourism industry.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, you could hunt for the aurora while sitting in the warm waters of a hot springs, dog mushing, ice fishing, or on $729-per-person overnights in the Arctic. These high-priced experiences will help both the city and state rebound when the pandemic ends, though cruise tourism faces an extremely uncertain future.
The hope is that digital tourism will showcase the region’s bonafides enough to whet travelers’ appetites, making 2021 the year that breaks records instead. Says David Pruhs of Fairbanks’s City Council: “We’re the U.S. capital for Northern Lights. It’s sort of like choosing between Champagne or sparkling wine. We serve Champagne up here.”
Plan Your Virtual Trip
The Geophysical Institute has an overhead full-sky view, plus a link that shows the closing 30 minutes and—if you fall asleep—a fast next-morning video.
Aurora Webcam is Troy Birdsall’s home-built setup at the top of Cleary Summit, a popular viewing spot with locals. Annual subscription: $19.99.
Aurora Chasers is located in Goldstream Valley, about 15 miles from Fairbanks. To keep the site going, donations are accepted.
Explore Fairbanks has an Aurora Tracker that amalgamates information from the Geophysical Institute and other sources and rates the daily chances of seeing the lights. The tourism agency also posts locally shot aurora videos on its YouTube channel.