The first impressive aurora borealis display I witnessed this season was shortly after midnight on September 11. It broke up fairly quickly, becoming diffuse, but it was brilliant for about 10 minutes. There were some great crimson colors on the bottom of the main band. This color comes from lower altitude nitrogen and is often difficult to catch because of the high speed the aurora moves when it’s energetic enough.
This turned out to be my only September aurora. Despite having good activity, Fairbanks was overtaken by clouds for much of the month. I’m hoping that things shape up for a good winter season. The air temperature has been warm this fall, but too much in clouds and snow for consistent aurora watching.
Here’s a few more photos from this night: September 11 – Aurora Borealis
