7 Places on Earth Where the Sun Never Sets

The earth where we live is magical and magnificent. What if I told you there are places on earth where you would see the sun gleaming even at midnight. Surprised? Well the earth has bewitching places that you should check out at least once in life. 

 

Source-Ixigo

This amazing phenomenon of the midnight sun is why the sun never sets in some places on earth.

Our normal day begins with the sun rising in the morning and setting at night dividing the day in 12 hours each which is due to the rotation of earth around the sun where one side faces the dark but the midnight sun a seen in the Antarctica and the arctic where the tilt of the Earth’s axis, relative to the plane of its orbit, produces at least one 24-hour period of daylight. 

At the poles, both day and night are theoretically six months long, though the actual periods of light and dark are modified by the twilight periods. The effect of the tilt of the axis is seen in lower latitudes as a lengthening of daylight hours in the summer and their shortening in the winter.

Why does this happen?

This phenomenon occurs every year as it’s not due to some strange aberration, but due to the physics of the Earth and the sun. The Earth rotates completely every 24 hours, and it’s this movement that creates night and day. 

However, the length of daytime and night-time hours is not equal and this is because the Earth is tilted on its axis by 23.4 degrees. If it were completely perpendicular there would be a fixed night and day of 12 hours each.

In addition to the earth rotating around on its own axis, it’s also circling the sun. This orbit takes one year to complete. As it moves around the sun, the tilted axis means that at times part of the Earth will be closer to the sun than others. 

It’s also why summer occurs at different times of the year in the north and south hemispheres.

Norway  

Popularly known as the land of the Midnight sun. So it's only fair to mention its name first. Norway is an entire country that sees no sunsets as it is situated in the Arctic Circle. It is a part of Europe.

The country never sees the sun set for around a period of 76 days in the year. Hammerfest is one of the northernmost places in this country where the sun is continuously out for 76 days between May and July in the year. 

Barrow, Alaska

From 1825 to 2016,Utqiaġvik was known as Barrow. It is the borough seat and largest city of the North Slope Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. This place is all lit up from May to July. This is however the complete opposite of the time when the Sun does not rise at all, that is in November every year.

Source- Travel Weekly

In this month the place does not see the Sun rise for almost 30 days. The situation is also called Polar Night. Point Barrow here is the northernmost point of the US situated on the Arctic coast. 

Sweden

The northernmost city of Sweden, Kiruna with a population of 19000 does not witness any sunset for almost 100 days in a year. The phase of no sunset lasts from May to August every year and is the most popular time to      visit this destination.

Source- Visit Sweden

Another tourist attraction in this place is the Art Nouveau Church of Kiruna which is one of the most beautiful architectures seen in churches of the world. Plus the place is bright almost for 100 days in a year. 

Iceland

This place is known for the Aurora more than anything else which shades the fact that there is no sunset here as well for people to write ballads about. Iceland also has no mosquitoes.

But there is no evening in the month of June on this island, as the sun does not set here in this month. The places where the midnight Sun can be witnessed are Grimsey island and the city of Akureyri. 

Finland

This place is also called the land of thousand lakes and islands. In Finland most cities get to see the Sun straight for 73 days in summers, It is then the Sun does not set and continues to shine for straight 73 days.

It is however compensated in the winters when the Sun does not rise for the season. One can also enjoy the view of Aurora or the Northern Lights here, along with staying in the igloos. 

Saint Petersburg, Russia

This place in Russia is hugely populated with more than 1 million people residing there. It is also the northernmost city of the world. The latitude of the place is so high that for a month and half the sun does not pass below the horizon enough for the place to darken. Thus there is no sunset in this place for a month and half.

Nunavut, Canada

It is a city with only 3000 people and is located two degrees above the Arctic circle as well. It makes one wonder about the capabilities of the man to survive and reside in such bone chilling places. 

This indeed is called the survival of the fittest and man is on the top of this list. This place also sees around two months of no sunsets in one year. However in winters this place also witnesses the darkness of 30 continuous days. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Canada after Toronto.