Scientifically speaking, the midnight sun occurs when the Earth’s axis is tilted more towards the sun, peaking during the summer solstices. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, that’s usually around 21 June each year. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s around 23 December.

At its peak you can see the sun moving in the sky, but it does not dip completely below the horizon. Depending on how far north you travel, the period of non-stop daylight can last from a single day to nearly five months.

After the summer solstice, the hours of daylight gradually get shorter by a few minutes each day. Sunsets take place earlier and sunrises later in the day, until the far north returns once again to winter darkness.

The longest nights of the year occur during the winter solstice, which is around 21 December in the Northern Hemisphere. At this time you can witness the opposite to the midnight sun – polar nights. This is when the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon in these same regions located north of the Arctic Circle.

It’s not all doom and gloom though – far from it! The polar night can appear like a beautiful purple twilight which is magical for photographers. Plus, during the Arctic winter you can see the northern lights dancing in the dark skies and enjoy winter activities like snowmobiling and dog sledding.

The closer to the North Pole you are, the brighter the midnight sun will be. Further south in the Arctic Circle, such as Northern Norway and Iceland, it appears like a burning sunset in the middle of the night. It is simply stunning and if you are a keen photographer, you will be in heaven!

Northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Greenland, Russia, Alaska and Canada also lie within the Arctic Circle. Meanwhile the land of the midnight sun in the Southern Hemisphere is Antarctica.

Northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Greenland, Russia, Alaska and Canada also lie within the Arctic Circle. Meanwhile the land of the midnight sun in the Southern Hemisphere is Antarctica.