Clients often ask about the Polar Night and what it’s like in the Arctic when the sun is below the horizon. Magnetic North’s Kirsi explains a bit more about what it means and where as we approach this fantastical season.

The Arctic calendar is full of extremes – during the Autumn the midnight sun of the summer changes gradually into the dark polar night of the winter. The further North you travel, the longer the polar night. In the northernmost town in the world, the inhabitants of Longyearbyen in Svalbard enjoy the most number of polar nights per year. A place where the sun does not rise may sound dark and cold but thanks to the Golf Current, the winters are mild.

The polar night ranges from grey darkness to pitch black. There are three different definitions of the Polar Night. The first one is the astronomical polar night which occurs when the sun is 18° below the horizon, leaving it to the latitudes above 84°33’. There are no human settlements in this area and most of the region is covered by sea ice. The nautical polar night occurs when sunlight is visible by refraction. This means that there is just a point in the horizon where there is more light around midday. Longyearbyen is located in the border of the nautical polar night.

The polar night by definition cannot be witnessed anywhere in mainland Europe. The civil polar night experienced in Svalbard is just a faint glow of light visible in midday. What makes each polar night special are the polar twilights that occur in the inner borders of the polar circles. Polar twilight can be witnessed when there is no true daylight, the beautiful blue and grey arctic twilights that give a different shade to each passing night.

The polar night offers the perfect conditions for experiencing the Northern Lights and catching them on photo. With very little artificial light, the chances of seeing the Lights in their full glory are pretty good. The people living in these peripheral areas have adapted to these conditions and life does not stop here during the winter time. On the contrary, the snow and ice offer more chances for outdoor activities on glaciers and terrains with landscapes that can make you feel like you’re a visitor exploring another planet.

If you’d like to feel and experience the Polar Night in Svalbard, Norway, check out our short break: Dark and Magical Spitsbergen www.magneticnorthtravel.com/tour/details/dark-and-magical-spitsbergen-polar-nights-short-break