Northern Lights Tourism
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In northern Alaska, the aurora borealis or "northern lights" are a nine month light show of green and pink in the sky--electrically charged particles from the Sun reacting to the earth's magnetic field. Hi, I'm Dave Thurlow and this is The Weather Notebook.

"Aurora Tourism" is apparently growing in America's last frontier, attracting many visitors--mostly from Japan. Correspondent Amy Mayer files this report.

Alaska's aurora tourists spend lots of money and travel great distances hoping to catch a dynamic display.

The Mt. Aurora Skiland lodge near Fairbanks is a downhill ski resort by day. By night, it's a warm respite for sky watchers, most of them Japanese.

This is aurora. We would like to see Aurora, but we cannot see aurora in Japan. Because it's beautiful, yes, and mysterious, yes, and wonderful. that's why. We graduate from college so we want to make good memories.

Those memories may be of more than just a good vacation. Occidental College anthropology professor C. Scott Littleton studies Japan's indigenous religion, Shinto. He says it has strong ties to natural phenomena. High waterfalls and symmetrical mountains, for example, have spiritual meaning. So in addition to seeing a spectacular lightshow, he says many Japanese may have a spiritual experience when they view the aurora.

But no one can guarantee that when they come the Northern Lights will be out. Plus, the best displays tend to be accompanied by sub-zero temperatures. All Skiland owner Steve Birdsall can promise the viewers is a warm lodge and hot coffee. But he says he knows exactly why they come.

(:09) Have you ever sat out on a dark night, clear and cold and had the aurora just pour down on you? that's what brings them out.

That's Amy Mayer of Fairbanks, Alaska. The Weather Notebook is a production of the Mount Washington Observatory. Thanks today to producer Margaret Landsman and Engineer Sean Doucette.