Midnight sun – light all night

What is Midnight Sun or Polar Day?

There are a few months each summer when the sun never sets in northern Norway, well above the Arctic Circle. On or around the summer solstice (about June 21 in the northern hemisphere and December 22 in the southern hemisphere), the sun will be up for the entirety of that day. If you travel closer to the North or South Pole, you’ll have more opportunities to experience the midnight sun each year. In actuality, the midnight sun can be seen as far as 90 km outside the polar circle, as will be explained below; the precise latitudes of the outermost regions of the midnight sun depend on terrain and change slightly from year to year.

Norwegian Midnight Sun

In northern Norway, where the sun never sets, light never ceases to amaze. Formerly known as the “Land of the Midnight Sun,” the country’s current moniker, “the Land of Light and Darkness,” does a much better job of capturing the country’s unique and timeless beauty.

The phenomenon results from the inclination of the Earth’s axis, the line through the center of the globe that its rotation revolves around. This axial tilt causes the North Pole to face the Sun in the summer (constantly bathing it in light) and the South Pole to face away from the Sun in the winter (due to the Earth’s rotation). In the summer, there is no break in the sunshine.

Famous Midnight Sun spots

From May to July, Northern Norway welcomes visitors with 76 days of midnight sun. The farther north you travel, the more midnight sun there is.

Some locations in the north are known for their Midnight Sun view:

• Mount Ronvikfjellet in Bodo has stunning views of the Midnight Sun.
• Landegode Island.
• A free ocean view can be had from Eggum, located on Lofoten Islands‘ northern coast.
• Narvik’s cable car travels 656 meters (2,152 feet) over the fjord.
• From the Harstad neighborhood of Nupen, you can see the sun rise over the peaks of Grytoya Island.
• The Okshornan rock formation near Tungenesset on Senja is bathed in sunlight.
• Tromso’s Cable Car as the sun rises above Ringvassoya Island.
• Alta’s fjord-facing Mount Komsafjellet.
• The Peak of Salen, near Hammerfest.
• The sun shines brightly on the Finnmarksvidda Plateau’s flats.
• Do not venture outside of Longyearbyen without a firearm, but keep in mind that the sun is above the horizon no matter where you are on the North Cape.