Explanation: Today's solstice, the astronomical beginning of
summer in the north, is at 23:09 UT when the Sun reaches the
northernmost declination in its yearly trek through planet
Earth's sky. While most in the northern hemisphere will
experience the longest day of the year, for some the Sun won't
set at all, still standing just above the horizon at midnight as
far south as about 66.6 degrees northern latitude. Of course, as
summer comes to the north the midnight Sun comes earlier to
higher latitudes. Recorded near midnight, this time series from
June 6 follows the Sun gliding above a mountainous horizon from
a latitude of 69 degrees north. The remarkable scene looks north
over the Norwegian Sea from Sortland, Norway. The 2012 transit
of Venus is already in progress, with Earth's sister planet in
silhouette at the upper left against the bright disk of the
midnight Sun. |<< Previous APOD||This Day in APOD||Next APOD >>|