• The beautiful display of the Aurora Borealis, often referred to as the Northern Lights are one of Alaska's unique wonders. Auroras is typically viewed as an arc, which consists of a band or spiral of different light colors stretching across the evening sky. The light can vary in brightness as it moves across the sky. An Aurora arc is often 300 - 400 miles in length spreading from east to west, but only a mile or two from north to south. The Aurora Borealis can be so bright at night, there maybe enough visibility to go on an evening hike.

• The best months for viewing the Northern Lights are from early September through the end of March (it is common to see the Northern Lights as early as mid August). Visibility of the Aurora depends upon the local weather conditions; the sky needs to be clear and dark. Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks are popular destinations where it is quite common to see the Aurora Borealis.

• The University of Alaska/Fairbanks offers an extensive educational presentation of the Aurora Borealis; their web site can be viewed at http://www.uaf.edu/museum/ There are multimedia presentations of the Aurora Borealis in Anchorage, Denali and Fairbanks.