In dark winter, the mountainside ‘JBER star’ brightens the Anchorage skyline

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Hundreds of incandescent light bulbs form the JBER Star on Mount Gordon Lyon near Arctic Valley that can be seen throughout the Anchorage area on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. The 300-foot diameter star was turned on over the Thanksgiving weekend and will remain on until the last Iditarod musher crosses the finish line in Nome in March. The star is also illuminated on 9/11. (Bill Roth / ADN) . (Bill Roth / ADN)

Over the holiday weekend, about 360 lightbulbs forming a five-pointed star were illuminated on the Chugach mountainside above Anchorage.

There has been a star on the mountain near Arctic Valley since 1960. The current star – known as the "JBER star" or "Arctic Valley star" – was constructed in 1989 and is 300 feet wide, according to JBER public affairs. The lights will stay on until the last musher crosses the finish line at the Iditarod.