Greenland's polar darkness: Greenland’s high Arctic regions experience a true polar night, with the sun staying below the horizon for long stretches between late November and mid-January. Snow and ice reflect the minimal ambient light, creating haunting blue twilights at midday. The extended darkness also provides excellent conditions for viewing the northern lights.
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CNBC TV1806-01-2026, 18:55

Sun Disappears for Months: Explore Earth's Polar Night Regions

  • Polar night is a natural phenomenon where the sun stays below the horizon for days or months in regions above the Arctic and below the Antarctic Circles, caused by Earth's axial tilt.
  • Utqiaġvik, Alaska, experiences 64 days of darkness, while Svalbard, Norway, can have nearly four months, often illuminated by aurora borealis.
  • Northern Sweden, Finnish Lapland, and Northern Canada also endure extended darkness, offering unique twilight hues and northern lights.
  • Greenland's high Arctic regions and parts of Northern Russia like Murmansk and Norilsk face weeks of continuous polar night.
  • Antarctica experiences the most extreme polar night, lasting up to six months, profoundly shaping life at research stations and wildlife habitats.

Why It Matters: Polar nights transform high-latitude regions into unique landscapes of prolonged darkness, shaped by Earth's tilt.

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