Difference between revisions of "AY Honors/Midnight Sun/Answer Key"

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{{Other uses|Midnight Sun (disambiguation)}}
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<!-- 1. Describe the geographic areas the midnight sun may be seen in. -->
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The '''midnight sun''' is a natural phenomenon that occurs in the summer months in places '''north of the Arctic Circle''' and '''south of the Antarctic Circle''', when the sun remains visible at the local midnight.
  
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[[Image:Midnight sun.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The midnight sun at [[Nordkapp]], [[Norway]].]]
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[[Image:Altafjord01.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The [[Altafjord]] in [[Alta, Norway|Alta]], [[Norway]] bathed in the Midnight Sun.]]
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[[Image:Arctic_circle.svg|thumb|200px|The Arctic Circle - blue ring]]
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[[Image:Midnight sun in Kiruna.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Midnight sun in [[Kiruna]], [[Sweden]].]]
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[[Image:Antarctic_circle.svg|thumb|200px|The Antarctic Circle - blue ring]]
  
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The '''midnight sun''' is a [[natural phenomenon]] that occurs in the summer months in places north of the [[Arctic Circle]] or south of the [[Antarctic Circle]], when the sun remains visible at the local midnight. Around the [[summer solstice]] (approximately June 21 in the north and December 22 in the south) the sun is visible for the full 24 hours, given fair weather. The number of days per year with potential midnight sun increases the farther towards either pole one goes. Although approximately defined by the polar circles, in practice the midnight sun can be seen as much as 90&nbsp;km outside the polar circle, as described below, and the exact latitudes of the farthest reaches of midnight sun depend on topography and vary slightly year-to-year.
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Locations where the sun is less than 6 or 7 degrees below the horizon which are above 60° 34’ latitude that are south of the Arctic Circle or north of the Antarctic Circle experience '''midnight twilight''' instead, so that daytime activities, such as reading, are still possible without artificial light on a clear night. White Nights have become a common symbol of Saint Petersburg, Russia, where they occur from about June 11 to July 2, and the last 10 days of June are celebrated with cultural events known as the White Nights Festival.
  
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There are no permanent human settlements south of the Antarctic Circle, so the countries and territories whose populations experience it are limited to those crossed by the Arctic Circle, i.e. [[Canada]] ([[Yukon]], [[Northwest Territories]], and [[Nunavut]]), [[Greenland]], [[Iceland]], [[Finland]], [[Norway]], [[Russia]], [[Sweden]], and the [[United States]] ([[Alaska]]). A quarter of [[Finland]]'s territory lies north of the [[Arctic Circle]] and at the country's northernmost point the sun does not set at all for 60 days during summer. In [[Svalbard]], Norway, the northernmost inhabited region of Europe, there is no sunset from approximately 19 April to 23 August. The extreme sites are the poles where the sun can be continuously visible for a half year.
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<!-- 2. Describe why and at what time of the year the phenomenon may be seen. -->
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Around the summer solstice (approximately June 21 in the north and December 22 in the south) the sun is visible for the full 24 hours, given fair weather. The number of days per year with potential midnight sun increases the farther towards either pole one goes. Although approximately defined by the polar circles, in practice the midnight sun can be seen as much as 90 km outside the polar circle, and the exact latitudes of the farthest reaches of midnight sun depend on topography and vary slightly year-to-year.
  
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The opposite phenomenon, [[polar night]], occurs in winter when the sun stays below the [[horizon]] throughout the day.
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The phenomenon is caused by the Earth's axial tilt, which at the solstice tilts one pole away from the sun (polar night), and tilts the other towards the sun (the midnight sun). This is easily illustrated with a globe and a flashlight in a dark room, by observing which parts of the globe are illuminated (or in shadow) as the globe rotates on its axis, and as the globe orbits around the "sun" (or in our case, the flashlight).
  
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Since the [[axial tilt]] of the Earth is considerable (approximately 23 degrees 27 minutes) the sun does not set at high latitudes in (local) summer. The duration of sunlight increases from one day during the summer [[solstice]] at the [[polar circle]] to several weeks only 100 km closer to the pole, to six months at the [[Geographical pole|poles]]. At extreme latitudes, it is usually referred to as '''polar day'''.  
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The sun's lowest position occurs when the sun is due north. At this instant, the shadow cast by a gnomen (a perfectly vertical pole) will point due south.
  
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At the poles themselves, the sun only rises once and sets once each year. During the six months when the sun is above the horizon it spends the days continuously moving in circles around the observer, gradually spiralling higher and reaching its highest circuit of the sky at the summer solstice.
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You can figure out the time that this happens at your location by using planetarium software, such as [http://www.stellarium.org/ Stellarium] which is free and is available for many type of computers. To do this, set your observation location to where you are, and then set the time to midnight. Check the position of the sun - is it east of north, west of north, or due north? If it's too far east, set the time a little later. If too far west, set the time a little earlier. Continue refining the time until the sun is due north.
  
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Due to [[atmospheric refraction]] and also because the sun is a disk rather than a point, the midnight sun may be experienced at latitudes slightly below the polar circle, though not exceeding one degree (depending on local conditions). For example, [[Iceland]] is known for its midnight sun, even though most of it ([[Grímsey]] is the exception) is slightly south of the Arctic Circle. For the same reasons, the period of sunlight at the poles is slightly more than six months. Even the northern extremities of [[Scotland]] (and those places on similar latitudes such as [[St. Petersburg]]) experience twilight in the northern sky at around the summer solstice.
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You can also calculate the time of solar noon using charts as described at http://www.spot-on-sundials.co.uk/localtime.html - and then add twelve hours to get the time of the midnight sun.
  
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Observers at heights appreciably above sea level can experience extended periods of midnight sun as a result of the 'dip' of the horizon viewed from altitude.
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Upload your photos here and add them to our wiki!
  
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==Time zones and daylight saving time==
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In this article, the term "midnight sun" refers to the phenomenon of 24 consecutive hours of sunlight north of the Arctic Circle or south of the Antarctic Circle. There are, however, some instances which are sometimes referred to as "midnight sun", even though they are in reality due to time zones and the observance of [[daylight saving time]]. For instance, in [[Fairbanks, Alaska]], which is south of the Arctic Circle, the sun sets at 12:47 am at the [[summer solstice]]. This is because Fairbanks is 51 minutes ahead of its idealized [[time zone]] (as most of the state is on one time zone) and in addition the state of [[Alaska]] observes daylight saving time. (Fairbanks is at about 147.72 degrees west, corresponding to UTC-9 hours 51 minutes, and is on UTC-9 in winter.)  This means that [[solar culmination]] occurs at about 1:51 pm. instead of at 12 noon.
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Animals will still need to sleep. What else do you see?
  
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If a precise moment for the genuine "midnight sun" is required, the observer's [[longitude]], the local [[civil time]] and the [[equation of time]] must be taken into account. The moment of the sun's closest approach to the horizon coincides with its passing due north at the observer's position, which occurs only approximately at midnight in general. Each degree of longitude east of the [[Greenwich meridian]] makes the vital moment exactly 4 minutes earlier than midnight as shown on the clock, while each hour that the local civil time is ahead of [[coordinated universal time]] (UTC, also known as GMT) makes the moment an hour later. These two effects must be added. In addition the equation of time (which depends on the date) must be added: a positive value on a given date means that the sun is running slightly ahead of its average position, so the value must be subtracted.<ref>H. Spencer Jones, ''General Astronomy'' (Edward Arnold, London, 1922), Chapters I-III</ref>
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As an example, at the [[North Cape, Norway|North Cape]] at midnight on June 21/22, the longitude of 25.9 degrees east makes the moment 103.2 minutes earlier by clock time; but the local time, 2 hours ahead of GMT, takes it 120 minutes later by clock time. The equation of time at that date is -2.0 minutes.  So the sun's lowest elevation occurs 120 - 103.2 + 2.0 minutes after midnight, i.e. at 00.19.  On other nearby dates the only thing different is the equation of time, so this remains a reasonable estimate for a considerable period. The sun's altitude remains within half a degree of the minimum of about 5 degrees for about 45 minutes either side of this time.
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At North Cape, Norway, known as the northernmost point of Continental Europe, this period extends approximately from May 14 to July 29. On the Svalbard archipelago further north this period extends from April 20 to August 22. The further north you go, the longer the midnight sun lasts. (NEED a way to tell the dates...)
  
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==White Nights==
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<!-- 4. For what period of the year is the sun visible at each of the poles? -->
  
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Locations where the sun is less than 6 (or 7<ref name="GSE">[[Great Soviet Encyclopedia]]</ref>) degrees below the horizon which are above 60° 34’ (or 59° 34’) latitude that are south of the Arctic Circle or north of the Antarctic Circle experience midnight [[twilight]] instead, so that daytime activities, such as reading, are still possible without artificial light on a clear night.
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At the poles themselves, the sun only rises once and sets once each year. During the six months when the sun is above the horizon it spends the days continuously moving in circles around the observer, gradually spiraling higher and reaching its highest circuit of the sky at the summer solstice.
  
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White Nights<!-- Should be capitalised in the same way that "Arctic Circle" and "Antarctic Circle" are, since "White Nights" refers to one item --> have become a common symbol of [[Saint Petersburg]], [[Russia]], where they occur from about June 11 to July 2,<ref name="GSE"></ref> and the last 10 days of June are celebrated with cultural events known as the [[White Nights Festival]].
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The polar sunrise happens at the spring equinox, and the polar sunset happens on the autumnal equinox.
  
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==When to see the midnight sun==
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[[File:Midnight sun dates svatlas.png|thumb|250px|Map showing the dates of midnight sun at various latitudes (left) and the total number of nights.]]
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The Midnight Sun is visible at the [[Arctic Circle]] from June 12 until July 1.  This period extends as one travels further north.
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<!-- 5. What is the “polar night”? -->
  
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At [[North Cape, Norway|North Cape]], [[Norway]], known as the northernmost point of [[Continental Europe]], this period extends approximately from May 14 to July 29. On the [[Svalbard]] archipelago further north this period extends from April 20 to August 22.<ref>Trygve B. Haugan, ed. ''Det Nordlige Norge Fra Trondheim Til Midnattssolens Land'' (Trondheim: Reisetrafikkforeningen for Trondheim og Trøndelag. 1940)</ref>
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The opposite phenomenon of the midnight sun is the polar night, which occurs in winter when the sun stays below the horizon throughout the day.
  
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==Effect on people==
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Many find it difficult to sleep during the night when the sun is shining. In general, visitors and newcomers are most affected. Some natives are also affected, but in general to a lesser degree. The midnight sun, that is, not experiencing night for a long time, is said to cause [[hypomania]], which is characterized by persistent and pervasive elevated or irritable mood.{{cn|date=November 2013}}
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<!-- 6. Read Genesis 1:31-2:3, Leviticus 23:32, Exodus 20:8-11 and Nehemiah 13:15-22 and discuss in a group (or in written form – at least 500 words) when the Sabbath starts according to the Bible and how this can be applied in areas that experience midnight sun and polar night. -->
  
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The midnight sun is also an issue for those who observe religious rules based around the 24 hour day/night cycle. In the Jewish community there is a [[Jewish law in the polar regions|body of law]] which attempts to deal with adherence to the [[Mitzvah]] in such conditions. Another affected religion is Islam, where fasting during daylight hours in [[Ramadan]] would imply total abstinence. Also, Muslims have 5 obligatory prayers daily which are timed according to position of the sun, so it becomes difficult for them to decide the prayer times; however, they can follow the timings of the closest place that has a normal sun cycle or the timings of [[Mecca]], the holiest city of Islam.
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*{{bible link|Genesis 1:31-2:3}}
  
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==In fiction==
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<!--T:21-->
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* In the film ''[[Insomnia (1997 film)|Insomnia]]'' and its [[Insomnia (2002 film)|American remake]], the [[protagonist]] suffers from insomnia partially brought on by the midnight sun while investigating a murder north of the Arctic Circle (Norway in the original, and Alaska in the remake).
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"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." NIV
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* In "[[The Midnight Sun]]", an episode of ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'',  the Earth is on a collision course with the sun, causing a midnight sun effect.
 
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* The episode of ''[[Northern Exposure]]'' entitled "Midnight Sun" explores the effects of the phenomenon on the small Alaskan town's residents.
 
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* In the [[Stephen Sondheim]] musical ''[[A Little Night Music]]'', the two Night Waltzes deal specifically with the phenomenon of Midnight Sun.
 
  
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==In music==
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* Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" mentions the midnight sun in the lyrics ("We come from the land of ice and snow/From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow") after their visit to [[Reyjkavik]], [[Iceland]] during their [[Led Zeppelin Tour of Iceland, Bath and Germany, Summer 1970|their tour of Iceland, Bath and Germany in the summer of 1970]].
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Key points: God made the world. Evening and Morning makes a day. God rested on the Sabbath and made it holy at Creation.
  
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==See also==
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{{Commons category|Midnight sun}}
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*{{bible link|Leviticus 23:32}}  
  
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* [[Eagle Summit (Alaska)|Eagle Summit]], which experiences midnight sun despite being south of the Arctic Circle because of altitude
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* [[Polar night]] - The opposite phenomenon experienced in winter: a day without sunrise.
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"32 It is a day of sabbath rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath.”"
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* [[Midnight Sun Solar Race Team]] - A solar race car team: With the midnight sun phenomenon, a solar-powered vehicle can continue driving 24 hours a day
 
  
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==References==
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{{reflist}}
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Key point: Sabbaths (this text refers to The Day of Atonement, ) should be observed from the evening until the next evening. Note this was not clear to early Seventh-day Adventists. Some favored 6 pm to 6 pm while others favored midnight to midnight. They studied the issue out and arrived at the conclusion Sabbath starts a sunset Friday night and runs to sunset Saturday night. This was likely a key text in that study.
  
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==Additional Reading==
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1. Lutgens F.K., Tarbuck E.J. (2007) The Atmosphere, Tenth Edition, page 39, PEARSON, Prentice Hall, NJ.
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*{{bible link|Exodus 20:8-11}}
  
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==External links==
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* [http://www.virtualtromso.no/en/panoramas-from-tromso/56-midnight-sun-seen-from-fjellheisen-cable-car.html Midnight sun seen from Fjellheisen Tromsø - 360 panorama]
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“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
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* [http://www.uwmidsun.com/ Midnight Sun Solar Race Car Team]
 
  
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{{Parts of a day}}
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Key point: The 4th Commandment to keep the 7th day Sabbath holy.
  
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Midnight Sun}}
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[[Category:Earth phenomena]]
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*{{bible link|Nehemiah 13:15-22}}
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[[Category:Arctic geography terminology]]
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[[Category:Sun]]
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"In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”
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"When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy."
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Key point: The Sabbath began when the "evening shadows fell on the gates"
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<!-- 7. Talk to at least 5 persons that have lived or currently live in an area with midnight sun and ask them how the midnight sun and polar night affect their life. -->
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If you do not live in the polar region, this is going to take a little work. You might look around for people that have lived up North, or try internet chat forums for contacts. Simply calling people (like in a tourist office, park or government office) in Northern areas should work.
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For example, the US National Parks Service runs the [http://www.nps.gov/inup/index.htm Inupiat Heritage Center] in Barrow, AK Visitor Information 1-907-852-0422
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====Communities North of the Arctic Circle==== <!--T:36-->
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The largest European communities north of the Arctic Circle are Murmansk, Russia (population 307,257), Norilsk, Russia (175,365), Tromsø, Norway (71,295), and Bodø, Norway (49,000). Rovaniemi, Finland (60,000) lies slightly south of the line and is the largest settlement in the immediate vicinity of the Arctic Circle.
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The largest North American community north of the Arctic Circle is Sisimiut, Greenland with 5,000 inhabitants. Of the Canadian and United States Arctic communities, Barrow, Alaska is the largest settlement with 4,000 inhabitants.
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====Effects==== <!--T:39-->
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Among the people of the Arctic, the Norwegians have the easiest climate, with most ports in North Norway remaining ice-free all the year as a result of the Gulf Stream.
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Many find it difficult to sleep during the night when the sun is shining. In general, visitors and newcomers are most affected. Some natives are also affected but usually to a lesser degree. The midnight sun is said to cause hypomania, which is characterized by persistent and pervasive elevated or irritable mood.
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<!--T:42-->
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The midnight sun is also an issue for those who observe religious rules based around the 24 hour day/night cycle.
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<!--T:43-->
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In the Jewish community there is a body of law which attempts to deal with adherence to the Mitzvah in such conditions.
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<!--T:44-->
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Another affected religion is Islam, where fasting during daylight hours in Ramadan would imply total abstinence. Also, Muslims have 5 obligatory prayers daily which are timed according to position of the sun, so it becomes difficult for them to decide the prayer times; however, they can follow the timings of the closest place that has a normal sun cycle or the timings of Mecca, the holiest city of Islam.
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Seventh-day Adventists observe Sabbath from sunset Friday until sunset Saturday evening. In polar regions if the sun does not set, Sabbath is usually deamed to start and end when the sun reaches its lowest point on the horizon (effectively sunset). This should be around midnight, but varies by where one is in the timezone. Others simply choose an arbitrary time like 6 pm to 6 pm or midnight to midnight.
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What else can you discover? Please add it to this wiki.
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Latest revision as of 09:06, 18 April 2021

Other languages:
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Midnight Sun

Skill Level

1

Year

2014

Version

18.05.2024

Approval authority

General Conference

Midnight Sun AY Honor.png
Midnight Sun
Nature
Skill Level
123
Approval authority
General Conference
Year of Introduction
2014
See also
Naturalist Master Award


1

Describe the geographic areas the midnight sun may be seen in.


The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon that occurs in the summer months in places north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle, when the sun remains visible at the local midnight.

The Arctic Circle - blue ring
The Antarctic Circle - blue ring

Locations where the sun is less than 6 or 7 degrees below the horizon which are above 60° 34’ latitude that are south of the Arctic Circle or north of the Antarctic Circle experience midnight twilight instead, so that daytime activities, such as reading, are still possible without artificial light on a clear night. White Nights have become a common symbol of Saint Petersburg, Russia, where they occur from about June 11 to July 2, and the last 10 days of June are celebrated with cultural events known as the White Nights Festival.


2

Describe why and at what time of the year the phenomenon may be seen.


Around the summer solstice (approximately June 21 in the north and December 22 in the south) the sun is visible for the full 24 hours, given fair weather. The number of days per year with potential midnight sun increases the farther towards either pole one goes. Although approximately defined by the polar circles, in practice the midnight sun can be seen as much as 90 km outside the polar circle, and the exact latitudes of the farthest reaches of midnight sun depend on topography and vary slightly year-to-year.

The phenomenon is caused by the Earth's axial tilt, which at the solstice tilts one pole away from the sun (polar night), and tilts the other towards the sun (the midnight sun). This is easily illustrated with a globe and a flashlight in a dark room, by observing which parts of the globe are illuminated (or in shadow) as the globe rotates on its axis, and as the globe orbits around the "sun" (or in our case, the flashlight).


3

Find a place where you can observe the sun at its lowest position during the night and do the following:


3a

Calculate the exact time for the sun's lowest position (take into consideration daylight saving time if applicable).


The sun's lowest position occurs when the sun is due north. At this instant, the shadow cast by a gnomen (a perfectly vertical pole) will point due south.

You can figure out the time that this happens at your location by using planetarium software, such as Stellarium which is free and is available for many type of computers. To do this, set your observation location to where you are, and then set the time to midnight. Check the position of the sun - is it east of north, west of north, or due north? If it's too far east, set the time a little later. If too far west, set the time a little earlier. Continue refining the time until the sun is due north.

You can also calculate the time of solar noon using charts as described at http://www.spot-on-sundials.co.uk/localtime.html - and then add twelve hours to get the time of the midnight sun.


3b

Stay awake until the sun has reached its lowest position and take a landscape picture that shows the sun and some surrounding nature. Make sure not to look directly into the sun without proper protection.


Upload your photos here and add them to our wiki!


3c

Look around you and take note of how the nature reacts to the continuous sunlight.


Animals will still need to sleep. What else do you see?


3d

Find information on the time period the midnight sun phenomenon is visible at your point of observation.


At North Cape, Norway, known as the northernmost point of Continental Europe, this period extends approximately from May 14 to July 29. On the Svalbard archipelago further north this period extends from April 20 to August 22. The further north you go, the longer the midnight sun lasts. (NEED a way to tell the dates...)



4

For what period of the year is the sun visible at each of the poles?


At the poles themselves, the sun only rises once and sets once each year. During the six months when the sun is above the horizon it spends the days continuously moving in circles around the observer, gradually spiraling higher and reaching its highest circuit of the sky at the summer solstice.

The polar sunrise happens at the spring equinox, and the polar sunset happens on the autumnal equinox.


5

What is the “polar night”?


The opposite phenomenon of the midnight sun is the polar night, which occurs in winter when the sun stays below the horizon throughout the day.


6

Read Genesis 1:31-2:3, Leviticus 23:32, Exodus 20:8-11 and Nehemiah 13:15-22 and discuss in a group (or in written form – at least 500 words) when the Sabbath starts according to the Bible and how this can be applied in areas that experience midnight sun and polar night.


"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." NIV

Key points: God made the world. Evening and Morning makes a day. God rested on the Sabbath and made it holy at Creation.

"32 It is a day of sabbath rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath.”"

Key point: Sabbaths (this text refers to The Day of Atonement, ) should be observed from the evening until the next evening. Note this was not clear to early Seventh-day Adventists. Some favored 6 pm to 6 pm while others favored midnight to midnight. They studied the issue out and arrived at the conclusion Sabbath starts a sunset Friday night and runs to sunset Saturday night. This was likely a key text in that study.

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."

Key point: The 4th Commandment to keep the 7th day Sabbath holy.

"In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”

"When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy."

Key point: The Sabbath began when the "evening shadows fell on the gates"


7

Talk to at least 5 persons that have lived or currently live in an area with midnight sun and ask them how the midnight sun and polar night affect their life.


If you do not live in the polar region, this is going to take a little work. You might look around for people that have lived up North, or try internet chat forums for contacts. Simply calling people (like in a tourist office, park or government office) in Northern areas should work.

For example, the US National Parks Service runs the Inupiat Heritage Center in Barrow, AK Visitor Information 1-907-852-0422

Communities North of the Arctic Circle

The largest European communities north of the Arctic Circle are Murmansk, Russia (population 307,257), Norilsk, Russia (175,365), Tromsø, Norway (71,295), and Bodø, Norway (49,000). Rovaniemi, Finland (60,000) lies slightly south of the line and is the largest settlement in the immediate vicinity of the Arctic Circle.

The largest North American community north of the Arctic Circle is Sisimiut, Greenland with 5,000 inhabitants. Of the Canadian and United States Arctic communities, Barrow, Alaska is the largest settlement with 4,000 inhabitants.

Effects

Among the people of the Arctic, the Norwegians have the easiest climate, with most ports in North Norway remaining ice-free all the year as a result of the Gulf Stream.

Many find it difficult to sleep during the night when the sun is shining. In general, visitors and newcomers are most affected. Some natives are also affected but usually to a lesser degree. The midnight sun is said to cause hypomania, which is characterized by persistent and pervasive elevated or irritable mood.

The midnight sun is also an issue for those who observe religious rules based around the 24 hour day/night cycle.

In the Jewish community there is a body of law which attempts to deal with adherence to the Mitzvah in such conditions.

Another affected religion is Islam, where fasting during daylight hours in Ramadan would imply total abstinence. Also, Muslims have 5 obligatory prayers daily which are timed according to position of the sun, so it becomes difficult for them to decide the prayer times; however, they can follow the timings of the closest place that has a normal sun cycle or the timings of Mecca, the holiest city of Islam.

Seventh-day Adventists observe Sabbath from sunset Friday until sunset Saturday evening. In polar regions if the sun does not set, Sabbath is usually deamed to start and end when the sun reaches its lowest point on the horizon (effectively sunset). This should be around midnight, but varies by where one is in the timezone. Others simply choose an arbitrary time like 6 pm to 6 pm or midnight to midnight.

What else can you discover? Please add it to this wiki.



References

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