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In winter, these locations experience the opposite: the polar night, when the Sun remains below the horizon for weeks or months on end.
With information from Correio 24 Horas.
Utqiagvik, Alaska, to experience 84 days without official nightfall, with Sun visible 24 hours a day during the extreme northern summer
The city of Utqiagvik, Alaska, begins this Tuesday (12) to experience the midnight sun, a period when the Sun remains visible 24 hours a day and is expected to keep the region without official nightfall for about 84 days.
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Midnight sun begins after last sunset
Located more than 500 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, Utqiagvik recorded its last sunset on Monday (11). The star is not expected to disappear again until early August.
The period marks a striking change for summer in the far north. During this interval, the city spends entire days in daylight, without the formal arrival of local night.
Why the phenomenon occurs
The midnight sun occurs in areas near the North Pole during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer. The explanation lies in the Earth’s axial tilt of 23.5° relative to the plane of its orbit around the Sun.
With this tilt, sunlight remains above the horizon even during the early morning hours. Therefore, in certain Arctic regions, the day does not end in the usual local way.
Record shows the last sunset
The National Weather Service released a timelapse video of the last sunset recorded between Sunday night and Monday morning. The images show the Sun almost touching the horizon line.
This recording preceded the start of the continuous daylight period in Utqiagvik. The scene marked the transition to consecutive weeks where the sky will have no official nightfall.
Alaska city’s phenomenon also appears in other countries
Besides Alaska, the midnight sun can also be observed in Nordic countries like Sweden, Norway, and Finland during part of the summer. Regions of Canada, Greenland, and Russia above the Arctic Circle also experience the phenomenon.
The theme served as inspiration for Swedish singer Zara Larsson in creating the song “Midnight Sun,” released in 2025. The track gives its name to the artist’s most recent album.
The song was developed from experiences lived during Scandinavian summers, known for their bright nights and the feeling of “a summer that never ends.”
In winter, these locations experience the opposite: the polar night, when the Sun remains below the horizon for weeks or months on end.
With information from Correio 24 Horas.
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