What is the Aurora Borealis? Simply put, it is a natural phenomenon caused by the collision of charged particles from the sun with the atoms in the upper atmosphere. It can be seen (obviously) in the northern hemisphere including Fairbanks, Alaska; Churchill, Canada; Tromso, Norway & Reykjavik, Iceland. It is at their most dazzling from December to March when nights are longest and the sky darkest.

Before you book your flight or vacation package from www.traveldiscounters.com, it might be a good idea to first forecast the Northern Lights to find out when the sun is active and more importantly when it will interact with earth (resulting in aurora). Here are 2 useful sites:

• www.spaceweather.com This has images and information on the sun’s activity & current auroral oval (a map of the world that shows location and strength of aurora activity).

• www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast This site has an excellent advance forecasting feature allowing you to nail down your exact travel.

Safe Journeys!
Emily & Jim