Not tonight

The call at the top of this page answers that, updated every 5 minutes from SkyCommand. Three things decide it: a dark sky, a clear sky and some activity from the Sun. Fairbanks sits right under the aurora oval, so on clear, dark nights the aurora is common even when activity is quiet.

Not much. Because Fairbanks is under the aurora oval, the lights are often overhead at Kp 1 to 3. Kp is a three-hour, worldwide average; what the solar wind is doing right now, especially when its magnetic field turns south, often matters more here. Why Kp isn't the whole story.

Viewing hours in Fairbanks are roughly 10 PM to 3 AM, and activity is often strongest around midnight to 2 AM. The aurora comes in waves, so a quiet hour can turn into a bright one fast. Tonight's darkness, moon and sky are shown above, and the call updates every 5 minutes.

ANN is built for Fairbanks and Interior Alaska, the most reliable part of the state for the northern lights because it sits under the aurora oval. The solar activity ANN shows applies statewide, but your own darkness and clouds decide what you see, and places farther south in Alaska usually need stronger activity than Fairbanks does.

The solar wind is measured about 1.5 million km upstream of Earth, which gives roughly 30 to 90 minutes of warning; ANN shows how long the current wind takes to arrive. NOAA forecasts Kp three days out. Beyond that it's an outlook, which is why far-off nights are labeled as early looks rather than forecasts.

Clouds over Interior Alaska are often patchy, so clear sky can be within reach even when town is overcast. Tonight's call takes clouds into account. Aurora In Alaska's guides chase clear sky every night of the season.

Roughly late August to mid-April, when nights are dark enough. Use Plan my trip to compare months, darkness, moon and clear-night history for your dates.