ALASKA 2008 - Jim Colyer

I made a study of Alaska. We will fly to Anchorage. I want the trip to include astronomy. That means the northern lights, the Aurora Borealis. Alaskan towns came from the Klondike gold rush of 1898. Louisville-Chicago-Anchorage-Denali National Park-Fairbanks-Anchorage-Seward-Anchorage-Chicago--Louisville. National Parks are operated by the National Park Service which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior. One National Park in Alaska stands out. 1 Denali National Park Mount McKinley is in Denali Park. It is the highest mountain in North America at 20,320 feet and part of the Alaska Range. There is controvery about the mountain's name. The State of Alaska calls it Denali. The federal government calls it Mount McKinley after President William McKinley. Denali Park consists of 6 million acres of wilderness. There are glaciers and a sub-arctic ecosystem. There are moose, caribou, wolves and grizzly bears. Cities: 1 Anchorage Go from Anchorage north to Denali National Park and back (By train, Midnight Sun Express). 210 miles to Danali. 4 hours. Anchorage sits on the Cook Inlet which is part of the Gulf of Alaska. Captain James explored the area in 1778. 2 Fairbanks Hook up with astronomy people. The northern lights can be seen 240 nights a year from Fairbanks. The best time to see the aurora borealis is from September through April because the sun stays up during the summer. Red, blue and green waves of light dazzle. The lights are caused by the solar wind interacting with gases in the upper atmosphere. The earth acts as a magnet, pulling the solar wind toward its poles. All planets have aurorae. 3 Seward Seward is 120 miles south of Anchorage. It is said to be scenic. We may hook up with a northern lights tour, maybe with Astronomy Magazine at astronomy.com. Michael will go with me. We are thinking 2008.
Contact: jim@jimcolyer.com