by Donald Wood
Last updated: 6:00 PM ET, Mon April 2, 2018
For travelers, seeing the aurora borealis and the midnight sun are key reasons for visiting Alaska during their vacation.
Thanks to Explore Fairbanks, tourists can find out the best time to witness each of the natural phenomena by using the one-of-a-kind Aurora and Midnight Sun Tracker on the tourism agency's official website.
Visitors trying to see the aurora borealis can check the Aurora Tracker, which offers real-time and three-day forecasts of northern lights data correlated to six locations. On the other hand, the Midnight Sun Tracker calculates the number of daylight hours any time of year for three locations.
Fairbanks is considered a premier aurora viewing location, as it is positioned in the Auroral Oval, which allows for perfect viewing during Aurora Season between August 21 and April 21. If visitors spend three nights in the area during this period, they have a 90 percent chance of seeing the northern lights.
The Aurora Tracker uses three data streams to calculate viewing opportunities, including the University of Alaska's Geophysical Institute's Aurora data, weather reports by location and the number of daylight hours.
Fairbanks also experiences 70 straight days of sunlight each year between May 17 and July 27, and the Midnight Sun Tracker calculates the number of daylight hours, including civil twilight, which people can experience in the Far North areas of Fairbanks, Coldfoot and Utqiagvik.
The Aurora and Midnight Sun Tracker is compatible with all devices including smartphones, tablets and desktops. For more information or to see the natural phenomena for yourself, reach out to your local travel agent.
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