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New Delhi: While most of the world wakes up to a sunrise and winds down with a sunset, residents of Utqiagvik in Alaska are entering a season where night simply disappears. The northernmost city in the United States has officially begun its annual “midnight sun” period, during which the sun will remain visible for nearly three months without setting. 

The rare Arctic phenomenon started on Sunday and will continue until August 2, turning everyday life in the remote Alaskan town into one long stretch of daylight. Timelapse footage shared by the National Weather Service showed the sun setting briefly at 1:48 a.m. before rising again at 2:57 a.m.

Located more than 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Utqiagvik is home to around 4,500 people and is known for its extreme daylight and darkness cycles.

Why Does This Happen?

The Earth is tilted at an angle as it moves around the sun. During summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the North Pole tilts toward the sun, which indicates that places near the Arctic Circle get sunlight almost all day and night. Because Utqiagvik is so far north, the sun never goes fully below the horizon during this period. Instead, it stays visible even at midnight.

The opposite happens in winter. From late November, the city experiences “polar night”, when the sun does not rise for several weeks. Countries near the Arctic Circle, including Norway, Sweden and Finland, also experience similar midnight sun periods every year.