Alaskan Town to Endure 64 Days Without Sunlight

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Northern lights in Alaska

Utqiaġvik, Alaska, the northernmost U.S. town, endures harsh winters with sub-zero December temperatures and a unique polar night—over 60 days without sunlight. Mayor Asisaun Toovak notes that residents largely stay indoors during this period.

However, Toovak anticipates this time, appreciating the contrast with the town’s polar days (24-hour daylight) from May to August. She welcomes the sunset as a signal for rest.

Utqiaġvik’s last sunset of 2024 will be November 18th; the sun won’t reappear until January 22nd, 2025.

Polar night, as defined by Jennifer Mercer of the National Science Foundation, is when the sun stays below the horizon for more than 24 hours due to the Earth’s 23.5-degree axial tilt. This occurs at both poles during their respective winter months (northern hemisphere: September to March; southern hemisphere: March to September). Besides parts of Alaska and Canada, Greenland, Finland, Norway, and Russia also experience this phenomenon. Antarctica is the only location in the southern hemisphere where it happens.

The duration of polar night increases with proximity to the poles. Leonid Petrov of NASA explains that the South Pole enjoys six months of continuous daylight. Conversely, the Equator experiences roughly 12 hours of daylight year-round. 

Utqiaġvik’s northerly location means it faces away from the sun. Though the sun doesn’t rise, it isn’t completely dark. Instead, there’s twilight—a period of low light with the sun just below the horizon.   

According to Mercer, total darkness only occurs when the sun is far enough below the horizon to eliminate twilight.

Toovak describes the daytime light as persistent cloudiness. Nighttime provides optimal viewing of the Northern Lights, which were exceptionally visible this year due to the sun’s peak magnetic activity in October.

Petrov uses the analogy of a rotating Earth illuminated by a lamp to explain polar night: one hemisphere is lit, while the other is perpetually shadowed.

In Utqiaġvik, with a population under 5,000 (U.S. Census Bureau), a significant portion identifies as American Indian or Alaska Native. Many families are multi-generational residents, enabling them to thrive through the long winters, says Toovak.

The sun’s return in January, even if only for a short time, is celebrated with a festival at Iḷisaġvik College, the only tribal college in Alaska, featuring traditional singing, drumming, and dancing—a “welcome the sun back dance”—to foster healing.