Aurora Borealis: ALASKA'S LIGHT SHOW.

• Author: MIDDLETON, SAUNDRA
• Position: Brief Article

Historically, many Arctic peoples viewed the aurora borealis as a positive economic indicator: following an auroral night, the next day's hunt would provide plentiful game or fish.

Modern times still connect the aurora with good economic welfare: The solar winds bring bounty to Alaska's winter economy by attracting visitors in search of the waves of light.

In the fall/winter season of 1997-1998, Alaska received 209,600 visitors, according to a Division of Tourism report. While about half traveled strictly for business, many of the remaining pleasure tourists came in search of the aurora borealis.

The Division of Tourism noted that visitors come in fairly stable numbers throughout the fall/winter season with December and March receiving the most visitors, and February the least. Over half visit from Washington and another 30 percent originate from the rest of the U.S. Canadian visitors and other overseas visitors represented equal shares at 5 percent each. Most of the overseas visitors originate from Japan. Fairbanks is the supreme destination for those in search of the northern lights.

"Statistically, Fairbanks averages 243 nights per year of auroral activity," states Professor Neal Brown at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. He credits this with Fairbanks' location within the auroral oval (a ring-shaped region around the North Pole where auroras are most often visible). Brown adds that good weather (i.e. clear skies) in January through April offer frequent success in aurora viewing.

"They come just to see the lights," states Shinobu Maeda, assistant operation manager for American and Pacific Tours, speaking of the thousands of Japanese who travel to Alaska each winter in hopes of seeing this spectacular phenomenon. He estimates 10 percent of his visitors come back repeatedly if they see a good display the first time.

A study prepared by the School of Mangement at UAF indicates the average Japanese visitor is a young, unmarried women between 18 and 25...