Chasing the Aurora Holiday

[d000hg]

Not the dodgy kind... 2013 is the culmination of the 11-year solar cycle which should make it the best chance for a decade to see the aurora**, something we both would love to do.

We are thinking about planning a holiday around it and had considered Iceland - somewhere else we'd love to visit. But we also loved our last US-based train holiday, 3 days across the USA, and since Alaska is actually further north than Iceland I wondered about combining both - catching a train up from California or somewhere to Alaska and then hanging around.

Does anyone know anything about aurora watching and/or Alaskan/Canadian rail?

** based on reading something on Wikipedia, perhaps I'm talking out of my bum

[TimberWolf]

Do you need sponsorship?

[Pondlife]

Do you need sponsorship?

Or a playlist for your ipod

[d000hg]

Do you need sponsorship?

Like I said, not the dodgy kind

[minsky1]

This looks pretty nifty

Welcome to AuroraWatch UK

[mudskipper]

Did Iceland last Feb, but was disappointed - just a vague green glow that could have been anything or nothing. Rest of Iceland was good though - well worth a visit.

So go, but make sure you're also prepared not to see them and that it doesn't spoil your holiday.

[KentPhilip]

I was in Iceland some years ago, and took an organised aurora tour several out of the city of Reyjkavik to where it was completely dark. But we could see nothing apart from stars.

The compensation offered was "you can go again tomorrow night, at half price"

[d000hg]

This looks pretty nifty

Welcome to AuroraWatch UK

Yeah, a good site.

I was in Iceland some years ago, and took an organised aurora tour several out of the city of Reyjkavik to where it was completely dark. But we could see nothing apart from stars.

The compensation offered was "you can go again tomorrow night, at half price"

I think rule #1 of an aurora holiday is "you are not guaranteed to see anything", all you can do is pick a good spot at a statistically good time. Spring autumn next year should be the best times for a decade AFAIK... as far as position is it simply a case of as far north as possible?

[Cliphead]

Yeah, a good site.

I think rule #1 of an aurora holiday is "you are not guaranteed to see anything", all you can do is pick a good spot at a statistically good time. Spring autumn next year should be the best times for a decade AFAIK... as far as position is it simply a case of as far north as possible?

The times I've seen it were at home. Something to consider.

[suityou01]

Not the dodgy kind... 2013 is the culmination of the 11-year solar cycle which should make it the best chance for a decade to see the aurora**, something we both would love to do.

We are thinking about planning a holiday around it and had considered Iceland - somewhere else we'd love to visit. But we also loved our last US-based train holiday, 3 days across the USA, and since Alaska is actually further north than Iceland I wondered about combining both - catching a train up from California or somewhere to Alaska and then hanging around.

Does anyone know anything about aurora watching and/or Alaskan/Canadian rail?

** based on reading something on Wikipedia, perhaps I'm talking out of my bum

Does this happen often?