Auroras from 35,000 feet

“Huh? Why do you fly to London via Tokyo?” is the common refrain from friends. 

Now that I’m back, this post is my answer! 

Unfortunately due to the ongoing conflict, JL43 does not have overflying rights for Russian airspace and has to reroute the long way to Heathrow through the Arctic Circle with many hours of darkness. 

Having checked the NOAA Aurora forecasts and seeing that the Kp index = 3, my expectations were low. Plus I have a starboard seat facing south whilst all the A seats facing north were taken. Nonetheless I asked the stewardesses to wake me if they saw it. 

I woke from a nap just as we skimmed over Alaska and minutes later a head popped up over the suite doors asking if I had wanted to see the aurora and to follow her! She had informed the pilot about my request and he said it’s possible we’d see them. 

She took us past the curtains into the much-lauded A350-1000 First Class cabin to view from Suite 2A. Voila, the aurora was faint and we had to shield the view from cabin lights with a pillow… but it’s just there!! It was hard to capture the sight but I was delighted with my first ever aurora sighting, it was magical. 

Upon returning, turns out K seats were PERFECT for viewing as well! 

Time-lapse Video

All sorts of formations 

We must have been beneath an aurora oval so that all around are auroras. They were grey at first but later I could see that they were faint green with the naked eye. Though cameras, once again, get a better view of the phenomenon than my eye! 

(Random but it reminds me of seeing whales breach off Cape Leeuwin lighthouse through the iPhone zoom lens but not able to with my eyes)