Anyone who has been to the Far North or South in winter has experienced the surreal phenomenon of “polar night,” when the sun never rises.
Most people who have experienced polar night have experienced it in the Northern Hemisphere, in Norway, parts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Finland, Russia, and Sweden. The only land in the Southern Hemisphere that experiences polar night is Antarctica.
Luckily, I had my first real taste of polar night. astronomical voyage Along the coast of Norway Hurtigruten Coastal Express. I was familiar with this phenomenon and knew what to expect, but nothing could have prepared me for the sheer beauty and truly surreal experience of waving goodbye. . Sun Over a week.
Related: Northern Lights Hunting: What it’s like to chase the Northern Lights along Norway’s dramatic coastline
What is polar night?
During polar night, the sun does not rise above the horizon. This only occurs within the polar circles (Arctic and Antarctic) during the winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, polar night is from September to March, and in the Southern Hemisphere, from March to September. according to time and date.
Polar nights and their opposite phenomenon, known as “midnight sun,” where the sun never sets, are caused by the Earth’s rotation as it orbits the sun. earth This means that there are periods of the year when the polar circles are either completely hidden from the sun (polar nights) or constantly exposed to the sun (midnight sun).
Is it always dark on polar nights?
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It’s a common misconception that the sun never rises during polar nights, so it’s pitch black all the time.
On most days during the Hurtigruten voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes and back, it was completely dark by around 2pm, but this was not the case. everytime dark.
For several hours each day, we were blessed with soft blue light that delicately illuminated the stunning landscape. I have never seen the sky change so many different colors.
Since there is no direct sunlight during the polar night, the light glide we experienced was due to the refraction of sunlight. earth’s atmosphere.
result?A beautiful dreamscape of pink, orange, purple, and frosty blue sky.
The long nights were perfect for stargazing and, of course, hunting. aurora It appeared many times during our voyage.
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venus belt
During the polar night, the “Venus Belt”, also known as the “anti-twilight arch”, attracted a lot of attention.it is visible at duskeither just before sunrise or after sunset when the sun is below the horizon.
The atmospheric phenomenon is caused by the Earth blocking the sun’s rays and casting a shadow along almost 180 degrees of the horizon. Above the shadow, between 10 and 20 degrees from the horizon, is Venus’ band.
The rosy hue occurs when sunlight passes through the Earth’s atmosphere at a low angle. At this time, short wavelength blue light is scattered and long wavelength red light remains. This process is known as Rayleigh scattering.The red rays Combines with scattered blue light A rosy pink tint is created along the edges of the shadow.
Contrary to what the name suggests, the hazy pink arches have nothing to do with anything. Venus. Well, not a planet anyway. It has been suggested that the name may have been inspired by the girdle worn by the Greek goddess Aphrodite, the Roman equivalent of Venus. BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
I really enjoyed my polar night experience, but it wasn’t without its challenges.
After only a week, I could already feel my body clock going completely haywire.Hungry at odd hours and wanting a bed by 3pm
But luckily for me, the allure of a clear star-studded sky and an abundance of aurora borealis was enough to keep me awake for the entire long night. That, and the refreshing arctic wind that hits you in the face the moment you step outside.
Editor’s note: This article was made possible by travel provided by Hurtigruten.
