Aurora dazzles hikers in Alaska amid sub-zero temperatures
Temperatures dipped to 15 degrees below zero, but that didn't stop people, and a dog, from heading out to the frozen landscape around Fairbanks, Alaska, to see the cosmic glow of the northern lights.
Winter nights in central Alaska can be brutal, lasting over 15 hours with temperatures below zero and snow in every direction. However, enduring the frigid weather can reward you with jaw-dropping scenes.
Temperatures on Tuesday night plummeted to 15 degrees below zero, but people bundled up and ventured into a snow-filled area near Fairbanks, Alaska, to catch ribbons of green light stretched across the sky as far as the eye could see. The aurora even outshone the nearly full moon, which helped illuminate the winter landscape.
Adding to the light show, one of the onlookers brought their dog, who was outfitted in a colorful vest that glowed brightly.
The northern lights over Fairbanks, Alaska, on Feb. 11, 2025. (Vincent Ledvian via Storyful)
Alaska is close enough to Earth's magnetic north pole where the northern lights happen on a frequent basis, unlike other areas in the United States farther south where the aurora can only be seen on rare occasions.
Despite the bitterly cold air, winter is the best time of year to see the northern lights in Alaska. During the milder summer months, the nights are short. In Fairbanks, the sun is only below the horizon for two or three hours a day in June, and even after sunset, the sky never gets as dark as it does at other times of the year due to the city's proximity to the North Pole.
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