Observation of Auroral Changes Above Alaska

Photographer: Meiying Lee
Summary Author: Meiying Lee

How much can the brightness change during an auroral outburst? This set of photos was taken when an aurora emerged over Fairbanks, Alaska, before dawn on April 3, 2024. I used a fisheye lens to record the continuous changes within a 4-minute time frame. The bottom of each photo is north, and the right is east.

It can be seen that the aurora only dances in the northern sky after falling from the zenith. At first, there were only faint red and green auroras were visible. Next, the intensity of the red auroras does not change significantly, but the green portion becomes stronger and stronger, and the amplitude of the dance becomes larger and larger. In less than 4 minutes both red and green auroras filled the entire northern sky, swaying and dancing from west to east! The changes in intensity were huge, far beyond my imagination.

This was my first time to see the northern lights. It was truly a wonderful experience! 

Fairbanks, Alaska, Coordinates: 64.8401, -147.7200

Related Links:
Northern Lights Take Center Stage over Central Alaska
Space Weather Prediction Center
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