In Fairbanks itself, residents see the northern lights on about eight of every 10 nights, Deehr said. Alaska Tours' 2018 Aurora Tours. Otherworldly fireworks. The northern lights result when charged particles streaming from the sun collide with molecules high up in Earth's atmosphere, exciting these molecules and causing them to glow. read more
The northern lights take place on an 11-year solar cycle. As we enter 2017, we're well onto the downswing of the cycle. This means fewer nights filled with the aurora borealis, an effect that will likely last until around 2025 or even 2026. You can see still the lights even in 2020, but it would much less frequent. read more
The park is also one of the best places in the U.S. to see the northern lights, thanks to the lack of light pollution. Fall is the best season to get the clearest view of the dancing auroras. You may even see the lights as early as the second week in August. read more