The sun has officially set for the last time this season in Utqiaġvik, Alaska. The northernmost town in the United States will now experience 84 straight days of continuous daylight—an annual natural phenomenon known as the ‘midnight sun.’
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On Saturday, the sun rose at 2:51 a.m. and won’t set again until 1:55 a.m. on August 2, Fox Weather reports. Rather than rising and falling, the sun will hover above the horizon, circling the sky around the clock. Located above the Arctic Circle, Utqiaġvik is the only place in the U.S. that experiences true 24-hour daylight during part of the year. This unique cycle is caused by the Earth’s axial tilt, which positions the Northern Hemisphere toward the sun in the weeks surrounding the summer solstice, peaking on June 20.
The town, formerly known as Barrow, sits at 71 degrees north latitude and is no stranger to extreme seasonal shifts. While summer brings weeks of uninterrupted light, winter delivers its counterpart: polar night. From late November through mid-January, the sun never rises above the horizon, leaving the town in prolonged twilight or darkness.
Utqiaġvik joins a select group of places around the world that experience these dramatic solar patterns, including parts of Norway, Greenland, Iceland, and northern Canada. For now, locals and visitors alike will soak in the surreal glow of Arctic daylight—morning, noon, and night.
