Aurora lights up Alaska skies with stunning green and red display
Jan 20, 2026, 1:05 PM
The northern lights illuminate the sky over Anchorage, Alaska, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Streaks of shimmering green and red bands exploded in the dark skies above Alaska’s largest city Tuesday as the aurora provided a light show for early morning dog walkers, joggers and commuters.
Anchorage was not alone in seeing vivid displays of the aurora following a major disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field.
The aurora didn’t disappoint, and its reach overnight Monday and into Tuesday was wide. Social media was lit up with stunning aurora photos from places including Alaska, San Francisco, Chicago, Canada and across Europe.
The intense displays came amid intense geomagnetic and solar radiation storms, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
In November, solar storms brought vibrant auroras to parts of Europe including Hungary and the United Kingdom, and as far south in the United States as Texas.
