Catching the aurora on JBER

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman James Richardson
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Spirits taking your soul or a natural scientific marvel produced by solar wind?

According to some Alaska Native legends, the lights of the aurora borealis are believed to be the torches held in the hands of spirits seeking the souls of those who have just died, to lead them over the abyss terminating the edge of the world.

There are many different tales or legends as to what causes the aurora borealis but the scientific explanation is best left to the professionals.
Air Force Capt. Carl Densford, 3rd Operational Support Squadron Weather Flight commander described the aurora as "the visualization of the solar wind interacting with the Earth's atmosphere."

Although this explanation sounds simple, it gets much more complicated.

"The Earth's magnetic shield, which protects us from space particles, has inlets around the northern and southern poles.  As plasma is hurled into space from our sun (solar wind) it is brought into the atmosphere via the poles, where it ionizes and produces the auroras.  As the solar activity increases, so do the intensity and geographical expanse of the auroras."

The science behind the aurora borealis can be confusing to the average person whose weather knowledge comes from their local news channel, but it doesn't hinder our ability to view one of nature's most mesmerizing wonders.

Viewing the aurora in the city or a well-lit area is possible but not ideal. Optimal conditions, Densford said, are "Clear nights with cold air and low lighting from cities. Cold air holds less moisture, which inhibits your viewing ability."

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson has several locations where you can escape the city lights of Anchorage; Sixmile Lake is one of many areas where military families gather to view the aurora.

Air Force spouse Marie Wiedenmann, a photographer and mother of two, visits the lake as much as possible to take photos of the aurora.
"The camera picks up a lot more than you can see with the naked eye," Wiedenmann said. "The stars and the colors in the aurora are much more visible when you get home and view them on your computer. It's like you get to enjoy it all over again. The Alaska landscape is amazing as well, so it makes for some of the best images you can take of the night sky; it really puts things into perspective."

Viewing the aurora is a great family activity but it doesn't come without a few problem areas. As we know, Alaska is a beautiful place but if nature's potential is not respected it can be dangerous. Take precautions and dress warmly, make sure your vehicle is properly taken care of and if possible, let someone know where you will be.

Additionally, the aurora is most active late at night or very early in the morning. Thus, it can be a difficult family outing for those with younger children. With two young daughters of her own, Wiedenmann wishes she had the ability to take her family out. "My husband [Capt. Chris Wiedenmann, C-17 Globemaster III pilot] stays home with our daughters and while I would love to take them out so they can have the full Alaskan experience, they're just too young."

The same doesn't hold true for her husband. "My husband has witnessed the aurora through [night vision goggles] while in the air, so I don't feel so bad leaving him at home."

To get the most out of your aurora viewing experience, the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks has an excellent, easy-to-navigate website that tells you the auroral activity and its projected viewing areas.

Additionally, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's website has a great OVATION Aurora Forecast Model that shows the intensity and location of the aurora during a given time period at www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast.