Science Behind It: Why The Sun Never Sets In Norway?

Norway is located in Nordic, a land of amazing contrasts and natural wonders. Norway extends from the southern part of Skagerrak to the Arctic, icy rivers, famous for its deep fjords, towering glaciers, Viking heritage and fascinating Northern Lights. But, besides its postcard-perfect landscape, Norway is also known for its truly surprising astronomical phenomenon: the sun at midnight – Even at midnight, the sun never sets in Norway. This is why Norway is also known as the “land of the midnight sun”.

The northern region of Norway is located above the Arctic Circle, with a geographical boundary of 66.5° north latitude. This unique location makes Norway one of the few countries on Earth where the sun rises in winter, and summer never sets. Several weeks or even months a year, parts of the country experience continuous sunlight 24 hours a day in summer or sink into prolonged darkness in winter, a phenomenon known as polar day and polar night, respectively.

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If you are wondering why Norway has 6 months and 6 months nights, or which country lasts 6 months, this article will break the fascinating science of why the sun never sets in Norway in Norway, leading to midnight sun and polar nights, exploring why it happens, when it happens and where you can see it.

What is the midnight sun?

The midnight sun, also known as the pole sky, is a fascinating natural phenomenon that occurs during the summer months, located in the southern part of the Arctic Circle or the Antarctic Circle. During this period, during the local midnight period, the sun is still visible, meaning that even at night it should be no setting at all.

This continuous sunlight is caused by the inclination of the Earth’s axis, which in summer, inclination of the pole to the sun. As a result, areas in the polar circles experience unlimited sunshine for days or even months. When viewed in the North Pole, the sun appears to move from the sky from left to right. In Antarctica, movement is from right to left.

This phenomenon occurs between about 65°44′ and 90° (north or south), and although the midnight sun can be seen outside the official polar circle due to atmospheric refraction and the obvious size of the sun.

The opposite of this phenomenon is polar nights, which occur in winter, when the sun simply does not rise to the horizon, causing these areas to fall into darkness for a long time.

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Why will the sun never set in Norway? Explained

The reason why the sun never sets in part in Norway in summer is the axial tilt of the earth. Our planet is associated with the surrounding orbital plane at an angle of 23.5 degrees. This tilt causes a hemisphere to tend to sunlight in their respective summers and to stay away from it in winter.

During the summer of the Northern Hemisphere, the Arctic tilts towards the sun, allowing the area above the Arctic Circle (such as Northern Norway) to maintain constant sunlight for 24 hours a day. As the earth rotates, these areas stay in the sun’s illumination circle, making the sun appear to be hovering above the horizon, moving sideways without falling.

This natural wonder is called the Polar Sky, and its duration increases the close distance you move to the North Pole. For example, in Svalbard, one of the northernmost regions of Norway, the sun sets completely from April 10 to August 23, which is an amazing 135-day continuous daylight.

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Polar Night: Why does the sun never rise in Norway? Explained

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Image: Cecilia Blomdahl

Is it really six months in Norway? Not yet – but close in some areas. Just as midnight sun shines brightly in the north of the summer, winter plunges the area into the continuous darkness of winter. This happens because in winter in the northern hemisphere, the axis of the earth is tilted from the sun, causing the area above the Arctic Circle to completely miss direct sunlight.

But it is a myth to believe that Norway has experienced a full six months of darkness. Only at the geographical pole of the geographic pole (such as the Arctic), which is the entire six-month cycle of day and night. In Norway, the duration of polar nights depends on latitude. During this time, even if the sun remains below the horizon, the area may still encounter twilight or reflected light, especially at noon.

Although the sun remains below the horizon, areas like Tromsø and Svalbard may still be covered in a faint twilight glow at noon due to atmospheric refraction.

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The best place to experience the midnight sun in Norway

Some of the best destinations for Norway to experience midnight sunshine include: Svalbard, Nord Cape (Northern Cape), Troms, Hammerfest, Lofoden Islands, Wester Este, Alta and Bode.

One of the best places to witness the midnight sun is Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. It experienced the longest duration of the sunlight period, lasting from April 10 to August 23, with more than four months of sunshine and no sunset at all. Svalbard is located in the Norwegian continent and the Arctic, at about 78 degrees north latitude, making it one of the most extreme places of residence on Earth to experience this phenomenon.

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in conclusion

The midnight sun phenomenon is a compelling demonstration of the Earth’s axial inclination and orbital mechanics. Norway’s position above the Arctic Circle allows it to experience prolonged periods of sun exposure in summer, not because the sun behaves differently, but because our planets are about 23.5 degrees inclined relative to their orbital plane. This inclination causes the poles to alternately tilt and away from sunlight throughout the year, in summer (which is well known as the polar region, which produces continuous sunlight), and in continuous darkness during winter or at night in polar regions.

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Optical Illusion