Utqiagvik, a small town in Alaska, will not see sunlight for the next two months as it has entered its annual phase of darkness. This phenomenon is known as polar night and it occurs every winter in Utqiagvik.
The sun will set below the horizon for the final time in 2020 at 1:30 p.m. Alaska Standard Time and will not see the sun rise again until Jan. 23, 2021.
The farther north of the Arctic Circle, the longer the polar night becomes. This can range from 27 days in Arctic Village to 65 days in Utqiaġvik.
WHERE IS UTQIAGVIK?
Utqiagvik is located north of the Arctic Circle. The small town was formerly known as Barrow.
WHY DOES THIS PHENOMENON OCCUR IN UTQIAGVIK?
The sun rose and set in Utqiagvik for the last time on November 19 for a period of over 60 days. This phenomenon occurs every year in winter in the Alaska town because of the tilt of the Earth’s axis.
“Polar night is a normal phenomenon that happens every winter for Barrow (Utqiagvik), and any other towns inside the Arctic circle. This tilt makes it so that none of the Sun’s disc are visible above the horizon,” Allison Chinchar, CNN meteorologist, said.
WILL IT BE COMPLETELY DARK IN UTQIAGVIK NOW?
Allison Chinchar has said that Utqiagvik, despite the phenomenon, will not be completely dark. During the day, the town will witness civil twilight.
WHEN WILL THE SUN RISE IN UTQIAGVIK AGAIN?
“Think of what the sky looks like just before sunrise, or just after sunset. That is what they see for several hours a day, from now until January 22, when the sun will officially rise again,” Allison Chinchar added.
