Arctic view was a life-changer

Much of Alaska got a spectacular view of space this week though a lot of folks in Southcentral saw little to brag about.

The problem was largely, as it always is, light pollution. But people fortunate enough to live in arctic and subarctic areas where human glare is minimal got a chance to see stars, constellations, bright planets, the moon and meteor showers.

I ventured outside four times one evening and walked to the darkest part of my front yard, but the only thing I could see was one lonely star. That is a frustrating problem, especially during the pandemic lockdown, and most people don’t really know what they are missing.

I got a real feel for it a few years ago when I was at a friend’s lodge in Kiana on a caribou hunt. We were just finishing dinner when someone yelled that the northern lights were out. Everybody ran out onto the deck and looked northwest where the aurora was indeed visible. But what really blew me away was the view directly overhead.

When you looked away from the northern lights the view became that of deep space, an incredible sight. You could literally see forever. Usually when people say their jaw dropped because of an unusual sight they are exaggerating, but my mouth indeed fell open and only closed when I started to feel foolish.

Ever since that night I have been painfully aware of what we Southcentral city dwellers miss compared to those fortunate enough to live in rural and northern areas of this state. There are many places in Southcentral Alaska where the night sky is free of light pollution, but you generally must drive somewhere away from the heavily populated areas. And even there the sky is not as startlingly clear as it is in more northerly areas.

Those in the MatSu communities are generally closer to the better night views than those in the City of Anchorage, and one friend in Wasilla says he can get a pretty good view by walking to parts of his yard. But he has lived in Barrow and Fairbanks where the night sky in the dark months is really spectacular. He also introduced me to Kiana so he doesn’t bother to go out and look from his lawn in Southcentral.

After my experience in Kiana, I understand how he feels. Looking straight out into deep space is an incredible experience, one that can actually change your life and the way you think about things.

Becoming an astronaut wasn’t an option when I was young except for a very few people. It wasn’t something that most of us could aspire to. Space travel is still limited to a very few people, but the experience seems likely to be such an incredible adventure that those who can do it definitely should.

Light pollution is such a negative thing that I feel guilty about my small contribution to it. For several years I was chairman of the City of Lights Committee of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce.

City of Lights was a program that encouraged people to string tiny white lights around their homes, offices and the trees and shrubs in their yards during the dark season. It actually made the homes and offices that were lighted up seem to be very welcoming. And the impact actually improved people’s attitudes toward winter.

I’m not sure why the program was dropped but it seems safe to assume that the small impact on light pollution might have been a factor.

I still enjoy seeing the lights. They have a unique seasonal charm.

Tom Brennan is an Anchorage columnist and author of six books. He was a reporter/columnist for The Anchorage Times and an editor and columnist at The Voice of The Times.