Denis Kozhevnikov / TASS
The main difference between these natural phenomena is that, during a polar day, the sun doesn’t set behind the horizon at all. It usually occurs at latitudes above the Arctic Circle (66°33’) and, the closer to the pole, the longer the polar day lasts. In Norilsk (69°20’), the sun does not set for 68 days, from May 19 to July 25. In Murmansk (68°58’) - 62 days, from May 22 to July 22. In one of the northernmost settlements in the world, Dixon (73°30’) - from May 5 to August 10. In Salekhard, which is right on the Arctic Circle, from June 7 to July 7.
Anna Sorokina
However, during the White Nights, the sun does go a little over the horizon and you can observe the twilight – or White Lights – between sunset and sunrise. They occur at latitudes above 60°34’. In Yakutsk (62.0°) it begins in mid-May and lasts until July. In Arkhangelsk (64.5°) from May 17 to July 26. There are also white nights in St. Petersburg (from June 11 to July 2), although, geographically, it’s a bit too south.
Roman Pimenov / TASS
The main thing is that northerners also experience White Nights in the Arctic before and after the polar day. Thus, in Norilsk and Murmansk, they last for almost a month on either end. In Dixon - from March 18 to September 27, with a Polar Day break.
Pavel Kuzmichev
Have you had any experience of living through a Polar Day?
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