MIDNIGHT SUN

M I D N I G H T S U N
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The midnight sun, also known as the polar day, is a natural phenomenon seen within the Arctic and Antarctic circles. During the polar summer, the sun stays above the horizon 24 hours a day – meaning no sunrise or sunset, just constant daylight. This unique phenomenon is caused by the seasonal tilt of the Earth toward the sun during the Arctic or Antarctic summer.
Seasonal changes are brought about by the movement of the planet and its changing distance to the sun. For many of us, our year is divided into four distinct seasons. But this is not true of everywhere in the world: In the equatorial regions and at the poles, the year is often divided into two seasons. At the equator, the dry and the rainy season (also known as the monsoon season) divide the year. And at the poles, winter and summer are the chief seasons. Though spring and autumn do occur in Leiden, they are not as clearly defined as they are in temperate regions.
In the polar regions, the midnight sun occurs due to the angle of the planet in polar summer. During the polar summer, one particular pole of the planet is pointed towards the sun at an acute angle. This angle prevents the region from falling into shadow as the Earth turns, hence no night time. The other pole of the planet, however, witnesses an inverse effect: It stays in shadow longer than the rest of the planet, leading to the effect of polar night.
At the poles, the sun only rises and falls once a year. This one sunrise and sunset are known as the summer and winter equinox. During the polar spring, the sun rises and continues to do so until it reaches its peak in summer. The polar autumn is a time of twilight, when the sun stays just below the horizon and creates an ambient glow. Once winter arrives, there is permanent darkness.
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