Midnight Sun

The midnight sun, also called polar day, is a natural phenomenon that occurs in the summer months in places north of the Arctic Circle or south of the Antarctic Circle, when the Sun remains visible at local midnight, at latitudes roughly from 65 degrees 44 minutes to 90 degrees north or south. It results from the axial tilt of the Earth of about 23.5 degrees, which during summer positions polar regions so the sun never dips below the horizon; at the poles themselves the sun stays visible for about six months continuously. Specific durations vary by latitude: Murmansk, Russia experiences it from about May 22 to July 22, parts of northern Finland see up to 72 days of continuous daylight, and Svalbard, Norway experiences it from roughly April 19 to August 23.