We flew to Longyearbyen, Svalbard from Oslo today. The three hour flight took us north of the 78th parallel. Because the Earth tilts on its axis, days are longer the farther north one travels in the summer. It is the exact opposite in the winter. Days get shorter as you approach the winter solstice. I’m a geography geek so I began to ponder this concept (much to Lisa’s dismay).
Think about it this way: The equator is at 0 degrees latitude. The North Pole on the other extreme is at 90 degrees. Hawaii, in the tropics, is at 20 degrees latitude, San Francisco at 38 degrees, New York City and Boulder, Colorado are at 40 degrees.
We started this trip in Copenhagen. It is way up north at 56 degrees latitude. Oslo, where we spent the past two days is even farther north — 60 degrees.
The days at the equator are always the same. Exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. Hawaii days vary, but very little from winter to summer. Most of us live in 35 to 40 degree latitudes and we’re all familiar with those long summer days and the very early darkness in winter. Norway, on the other hand is known as the Land of the Midnight Sun in the summer and sees the sun set not long after noon in the winter.
Well, here in Svalbard, we will not see a sun set the entire week we are here. The sun will simply circle overhead, never even approaching the horizon. No Northern Lights for us. Our grandson Max asked us how we will know when to go to bed. I told him, “I have no idea.” I write this at 10 pm with the sun blazing overhead. Lisa and I are forcing ourselves to sleep.
Conversely, the sun will not rise at all in December. Darkness all day for days on end.
The Arctic Circle is defined by the point farthest south where there is at least one day where the sun does not set in the summer and does not rise in the winter. The Arctic Circle is at 66.34 degrees latitude. So, with Svalbard being so deep beyond the Arctic Circle it will experience many days with no sunset. Kinda cool. Kinda strange.
Anyway, we boarded the National Geographic Resolution, a new ship equipped with icebreaking capability and luxury accommodations. First, however, we spent a little time with husky dogs, the ones who pull the dog sleds around here. The weather was an unusually balmy 43 degrees. Very fun.
More to come as we embark on our search for polar bears, walruses, and arctic foxes. But first, we have to figure out how to go to sleep with the sun shining through our curtains all night long!
Lisa and Brad's Travels 