January skies and amazing color

The skies and color in wintertime can be quite spectacular in the interior of Alaska, day and night. There is little daylight, and the Sun rises and sets at a shallow angle making for an incredibly long “golden hour” when the Sun is near the horizon allowing for brilliant colors in the sky. With all that nighttime, aurora watching is nice too. Here are a few highlights from the first month of the year.

 

Summit towers on Ester Dome at sunset.
On January 1st I took the dog for a walk up on Ester Dome. The sunset was pretty spectacular.

First sunset over the city of Fairbanks in 2014! Taken from Ester Dome
Looking out over the city of Fairbanks

Looking at the towers on Ester Dome. Moose Mountain Ski area is in the distance. Nice soft pastel pink clouds.
The Moose Mountain ski area hiding in the background

This was our sunrise at 10:30 am - this is the view out our window. Nice golden light on our snow adorned spruce trees.
Watching the sunrise from our backyard.

Immaculate Conception Parish from across the Chena River in Golden Heart Park. This was taken at 9:15 am Alaska time which is still about 45 minutes from sunrise. The sun was starting to come up behind me in the southeast and the clouds were already well-lit casting a bit of pinkish-orange on the very much blue-violet twilight to the north.
Immaculate Conception Parish from across the Chena River in Golden Heart Park. This was taken at 9:15 am Alaska time which is still about 45 minutes from sunrise. The sun was starting to come up behind me in the southeast and the clouds were already well-lit casting a bit of pinkish-orange on the very much blue-violet twilight to the north.” alt=”Immaculate Conception Parish from across the Chena River in Golden Heart Park. This was taken at 9:15 am Alaska time which is still about 45 minutes from sunrise. The sun was starting to come up behind me in the southeast and the clouds were already well-lit casting a bit of pinkish-orange on the very much blue-violet twilight to the north.

We had about an hour long gorgeous sunrise this morning! I took this one down at Golden Heart Park fairly early on before getting some breakfast and heading home. Had to stop at the Musher's Hall again for some more brilliance. I love mornings like this.
At Golden Heart Park in Downtown Fairbanks.


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The sunrise is still happening - this time from the Musher's Hall on Farmer's Loop.
From the Musher’s Hall on Farmer’s Loop

I went for a walk under the aurora on the trails behind Creamer's Field in Fairbanks. It was gorgeous! I decided to not do any timelapse so I left one camera at home and just shouldered a tripod and wandered around for a couple hours. I should do it this way more often!
Took a nice walk under the aurora

I went for a walk under the aurora on the trails behind Creamer's Field in Fairbanks. It was gorgeous! I decided to not do any timelapse so I left one camera at home and just shouldered a tripod and wandered around for a couple hours. I should do it this way more often!
It turned out to be a long walk. Some clouds rolled in, but it was still pretty strong.

The next morning the Sun rose, as normal.

A typical January sunrise in the Alaska interior.

Near the horizon the oranges were predominant. You can see a bit of that cool arctic blue/green in the sky.
Stunningly, stupidly gorgeous

A full 45 minutes after the sunrise began!
More skies and color

Still twilight - looking at the Alaska Range from UAF in front of the museum of the north.
Had a great view of the crescent moon “hanging out” over the Alaska Range on the morning of the 27th

 

Awesome view of the crescent moon over the Alaska Range two days in a row. Today Venus joins in the fun (left and up a bit from the moon). The moon is almost over Mt. Moffit and Mt. Hayes is on the right.
and again on the 28th

Watching the sunrise next to the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Contrails across the sky – next to the Museum of the North

 

Driving up the Hill to West Ridge at UAF on a beautiful morning.
Beautiful glow on the horizon

The Tanana Valley looks to be pretty fogged in.
Even when it’s foggy, there is the sky. Looking across the Tanana Valley into the Alaska Range.

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