THREE WEEKS WITH MIDNIGHT SUN - NO DARK TIME

At Selvær, the sun is continuous over the horizon for about three weeks around midsummer. According to the theory that this only applies north of the Arctic Circle, it should not be possible. In reality, it is the opposite; here it is midnight sun for three weeks.

Let us then look at the so-called dark time: North of us is Bodø, about 110 km as the crow flies. It is not official dark time in Bodø. That is, with a flat horizon it is true, but due to the mountains around the city, it will still be dark time. The same applies to Mo i Rana, which, like us, is located in the Arctic Circle. Røst - which is located 120 km directly north of us - has a flat horizon south of it. It is not dark time there either. This is also the case here at Selvær, which is located ten miles just south of Røst; no dark time, even around winter solstice.

The distinction between dark time or not should ideally coincide with the Arctic Circle. In reality, you also see the sun in mid-winter when you go north of the Arctic Circle, such as on Røst. Places with dark time are thus significantly further north than they "should" do, and places with midnight sun are also correspondingly further south. This is due to the refraction of light that occurs in the atmosphere; we see a sun that is not really where we see it, but which is a few degrees lower.

- What is interesting is that the refractive index varies with the humidity and temperature in the atmosphere. Therefore, in some weather situations it may be sunny further north than otherwise. This means that areas in the border areas can actually have a dark time one year, while they experience sun another year, says state meteorologist Eirik Samuelsen at Værvarslinga for Northern Norway.

Translation:

Sted: Location.

Midnattsol: Midnight sun; the sun is over the horizon.

Mørketid: The sun is under the horizon, - but still there is a soft daylight at daytime.