Part 8

The Aurora Borealis, or northern lights as they are commonly called, can be seen an average of 243 days a year in Fairbanks. The northern lights are produced by charged particles from the sun striking the earth's upper atmosphere. These charges particles cause gases in the upper atmosphere to glow much like the gas in florescent lights.

Barrow, the farthest North American city, has no sunset for about 84 days between May and August as the sun circles above the horizon. This is also known as the midnight sun.

Alaska has both the easternmost and westernmost points in the United States, sort of! The 180th meridian, the dividing line between east and west longitudes, passes through the Aleutian Islands, part of Alaska. So, if you look at it this way, the westernmost point is Amatignak Island at 179'10” west longitude. The easternmost is Pochnoi Point at 179'46” east longitude.

 Part 7

Part 6

Wildlife: 

• Kodiak Bear; 1,400 pounds, 11 feet tall
• Polar Bear; 1,400 pounds, 11 feet tall
• Grizzly Bear (Brown Bear); 800 pounds, 9 feet tall
• Moose; 1,350 pounds, 5 feet high to shoulder
  Antlers span; 72 inches

Clearly, the glaciers of the last ice age were no match for powers of "uplifting" forces. Here are a few more honourable mentions in the same area:

Mt. Logan, St. Elias Range, Yukon, is the second tallest in North America at 19, 551 feet/5959 meters

Mt. Elias, St. Elias Range, straddles the Alaska/Yukon border.

Mt. Luciana also in the St. Elias Range, Yukon Territory, 17,257 ft/5260 meters

King Peak, Yukon Territory, is 16,927 feet/5,173 meters

ps growing up I knew Mt. Denali as Mt. McKinley - apparently a state/country distinction.

Part 5

 Mountains:

• Mount Denali: 20,320 feet (Tallest in North America)

• Mount Elias: 18,008 feet
  Foraker - 17,400 feet
  Bona - 16,500 feet
  Blackburn - 16,390 feet
  Sanford - 16,237 feet
  Vancouver - 15,700 feet
  Churchhill - 15,638 feet
  Fairweather - 15,300 feet
  Hubbard - 15,015 feet
  Bear - 14,831

Part 4

• State Sport: Dog Mushing
  It once was the primary form of transportation in most of Alaska. Today dog sled racing is a popular winter sport. It was adopted as the state sport in 1972.

• State Gem: Jade
  Alaska has a large deposit of jade, including an big mountain filled with dark green jade on the Seward Peninsula.
• State Mineral: Gold
  The search for gold played a major role in shaping the history of Alaska, from the discovery of gold in Juneau to the great gold rush at Nome. Gold was named the state mineral in 1968.
• State Insect: Four spot skimmer dragonfly

Part 3

• State Tree: Sitka spruce (picea sitchenensis)
  The evergreen is found throughout the southeastern and central areas of Alaska.
• State Marine Mammal: Bowhead whale
• State Fish: King salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
  King salmon weighing up to 100 lb. have been caught in Alaska. The king salmon is also known as the chinook salmon and is a popular sport fish. It became the state fish in 1962.

I guess it is fair to say we will be seeing the tip of the iceberg, so to speak!

Part 2:

• State Motto: North to the future.
• State Flower: Forget-me-not.
  The plant grows well in most of Alaska's varied climate.

• State Bird: Alaska Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus alascensis Swarth)
  It can change it's color from light brown to snow white. The willow ptarmigan was named Alaska's state bird in 1955.

thanks for sharing Diana...i love facts!!!