Flag of Alaska

This article is about the flag. For Alaska's state song, see Alaska's Flag.

Alaska
UseCivil and state flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Proportion125:177
AdoptedMay 2, 1927; 97 years ago (1927-05-02)
DesignEight gold stars, in the shape of "the big dipper" on a dark blue field. The North Star is larger than the other 7.
Designed byBenny Benson

The state flag of Alaska displays eight gold stars, forming the Big Dipper and Polaris, on a dark blue field. The Big Dipper is an asterism in the constellation Ursa Major, which symbolizes a bear, indigenous to Alaska. As depicted on the flag, its stars can be used as a guide by the novice to locate Polaris and determine true north.

The design was created by Benny Benson of Seward and selected from among roughly 700 entries in a 1927 contest. In 2001, a survey conducted by the North American Vexillological Association placed Alaska's flag fifth best in design quality out of the 72 Canadian provincial, U.S. state, and U.S. territory flags ranked. It finished behind the flags of New Mexico, Texas, Quebec, and Maryland respectively.[1]

  1. ^ Archive.org copy of now-offline NAVA survey results