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Auroral Wonders: Photographers Capture the Northern Lights
By Robert Roy Britt
Senior Science Writer
posted: 07:00 am ET
26 March 2001
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Jan Curtis said this image and others are "a poor example of what the experience is like in person."
"I have been viewing and photographing the aurora from Fairbanks since 1995 (solar minimum). Northern lights occur nearly all the time through the solar cycle, but are more intense around solar maximum. The difference in the appearance of the aurora is simply, more variety of forms (bands, arcs, rays, corona, pulsating patches), longer lasting, and the appearance of red color. During most of the solar cycle, green is the main color seen over Alaska. Red provides a dramatic contrast."
The March 19-20, 2001, storm that yielded this image ranks as a "10," he said, and ranks in the top five of the hundreds of auroral displays he has witnessed.
"It's very spiritual, even for me after all these years. It's worth braving -20°F to -40°F winter temperatures. For those interested in seeing the aurora in Alaska, March is the best month because clear skies dominate. While the aurora is active in the fall, warmer but cloudy days can persist for weeks."
Next page: a shot from Bismarck, North Dakota
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