What is polar night? (2024)

As with anywhere else on Earth, the middle of the day can be lighter than other times as the Sun ascends toward and falls away from the horizon without ever rising above it: “civil twilight” may provide enough light for people to carry on with their outdoor activities, while “astronomical twilight” is so dark that the only natural lights are stars, the Moon, and the aurora borealis that dance and flicker across a clear sky.

Such semantics do little, however, to alter the fact that for those living in the Arctic (or the few residing at research stations in Antarctica), the polar night can be a profound challenge.

What is it like to live through polar night?

The absence of familiar cues and day-night cycles can affect circadian rhythms and disrupt sleep, and the perpetual lack of daylight often saps energy. However, living through the long polar night is not universally miserable, and many residents embrace the experience. As one inhabitant of Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Barents Sea region, explained to NPR: “You have to see the beauty in [the darkness]. And to me, that's not hard at all ... I kind of feel even more immersed by nature when I walk out into the darkness.”

What is polar night? (2024)

FAQs

What is polar night? ›

Simply put, polar night refers to a period of time when the Sun does not rise above the horizon for more than 24 hours. It occurs in winter north of the Arctic Circle

Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the two polar circles, and the most northerly of the five major circles of latitude as shown on maps of Earth at about 66° 34' N. Its southern equivalent is the Antarctic Circle. The Arctic Circle, roughly 67° north of the Equator, defines the boundary of the Arctic waters and lands.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Arctic_Circle
and south of the Antarctic Circle, which are circumpolar lines at latitude 66.6 degrees North and South respectively.

What is the meaning of polar night? ›

Polar night is a phenomenon in the northernmost and southernmost regions of Earth where night lasts for more than 24 hours. This occurs only inside the polar circles. The opposite phenomenon, polar day, or midnight sun, occurs when the Sun remains above the horizon for more than 24 hours.

How does polar night work? ›

Earth is inclined in respect with the Sun in such a way that, over the North Polar Circle, during specific periods of time throughout the year, the Sun never rises. Or, the Sun is up in the sky all day and all night long. These periods of time are called the Polar Night and the Polar Day respectively.

How many days does polar night last? ›

The Polar Night can last days to months depending on your location. On the North Cape, the sun remains under the horizon for more than two months, while in Tromsø the phenomenon lasts for six weeks or so. In Lofoten, the dark period is short, just under four weeks.

What is polar night for kids? ›

[Jorgen] The polar night, that's defined as the period when the sun is below the horizon, 24hours a day. The length of the polar night varies according to latitude. At the pole it lasts for 185 days.

What country has 24 hours of darkness? ›

Specifically, countries like Norway — called, appropriately enough, “the land of the midnight sun” — Sweden, Finland, and parts of Russia like Murmansk and Norilsk experience the polar night, during which the sun does not rise above the horizon for several weeks or even months.

How do you deal with polar night? ›

Here are Tone Toft's tips for managing the polar night:
  1. Intake of Vitamin D: Supplement your diet with vitamin D to compensate for the lack of sunlight.
  2. Good Sleep and Eating Habits: Maintain regular sleep and mealtime routines to strengthen the body's natural rhythm.
  3. Listen to Your Body: ...
  4. Social Interaction:
Nov 24, 2023

How long do you leave polar night on for? ›

You may wear your trays overnight if you have no sensitivities with 4 hours. General manufacturers recommended wearing times are: For Carbamide Peroxide Bleaching Gels (Pola Night): 10% Carbamide Peroxide (3.6% Hydrogen Peroxide) = use 1 x 2hours/day to overnight, while sleeping, if no sensitivity arises.

How long does polar night take to work? ›

10% takes from 4hrs to overnight to be effective. 16% takes from 1.5hrs to overnight to be effective.

Where is it dark for 3 months? ›

This level of darkness is all because of the Polar Night - a period of time where the sun doesn't rise above the horizon in the Artic. Alongside Svalbard, Longyearbyen and Norway also experience a Polar Night every single year.

How does the polar night affect people? ›

Polar nights increase the risk of depression and make people nervous and irritable. They can become overwhelmed by drowsiness, quickly tired, or suffer from anxiety. The human immune system deteriorates, making people more prone to diseases and aggravations of chronic illnesses and increasing weather sensitivity.

How do people survive polar night? ›

Those who live in arctic regions often swear by natural light lamps which have timers that help simulate the typical cycles of the sun. These lamps help trick their body into snapping back into their natural rhythms.

What is the difference between a white night and a polar night? ›

Polar nights occur in the northernmost and southernmost parts of the planet when there is night for more than 24 continuous hours. Polar days [Midnight Sun in the U.S. and White Nights in Russia] occur when the sun stays above the horizon for more than 24 continuous hours.

Why is it called polar night? ›

Simply put, polar night refers to a period of time when the Sun does not rise above the horizon for more than 24 hours. It occurs in winter north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle, which are circumpolar lines at latitude 66.6 degrees North and South respectively.

Why does the sun never set in Antarctica? ›

During summer, Antarctica is on the side of Earth tilted toward the sun and is in constant sunlight. In the winter, Antarctica is on the side of Earth tilted away from the sun, causing the continent to be dark.

How does polar night affect humans? ›

Polar nights increase the risk of depression and make people nervous and irritable. They can become overwhelmed by drowsiness, quickly tired, or suffer from anxiety. The human immune system deteriorates, making people more prone to diseases and aggravations of chronic illnesses and increasing weather sensitivity.

What is the polar night in Russia? ›

Polar night – the period between December and January, when the sun does not shine at all and the whole day consists of twilight. The Murmansk region is almost entirely to the north of the Arctic Circle, so this phenomenon is observed on its territory.

What is polar night energy? ›

Polar Night Energy converts electricity to heat and stores it for later by using sand as the storage medium. According to Mission Innovation's report, the sand-based seasonal heat storages may save over 100 mega tonnes of CO2 annually in 2030.

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