Sun Sets for the Final Time in Alaska

Utqiagvik, Alaska (formerly known as Barrow) has entered what is known as "polar night". That means the sun has set for the final time and won't rise again for another 65 days! Set your calendar reminder for January 22nd, 2022 because that's when Utqiagvik will see the sun again (pending cloud cover!) https://twitter.com/NWSFairbanks/status/1461478544987492353 On Thursday as the sun was setting around 1:30 p.m. local time, the city had a very decent sunset and night sky! https://twitter.com/Climatologist49/status/1461481301106561027 Right now, we are about two-thirds of the way between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice. In this image above, just go about two-thirds of the way left of where it says Sep 22-23 and that’s where you’ll find where we currently sit. Note the Northern Hemisphere, where Utqiagvik is, and how the location tilts away from the sun at this point of the year. The tilt is so great that, relative to ground level in northern Alaska, the sun never lifts above the horizon during parts of the winter. So it’s a goodnight to the folks in Utqiagvik until next year. Conversely, northern Alaska experiences non-stop daylight around the Summer Solstice where the sun never sets for weeks on end.