UTQIAGVIK, Alaska — Tomorrow marks the final sunset of 2024 for the northernmost town in the U.S. Residents of Utqiagvik, Alaska, enter “polar night” and won’t see the sun rise again until January 22, 2025, going 65 consecutive days without direct sunlight.
Utqiagvik, formerly known as Barrow until its name was officially changed in 2016, sits above the Arctic Circle. It spends extended periods of darkness in winter and constant daylight in summer, caused by the Earth's tilted axis and its orbital path around the sun.
During the polar night, residents will experience what most of us would consider twilight each day – a period of dim light just bright enough for basic outdoor activities. Most buildings in Utqiagvik have artificial UV lights to help residents get through the darkness.
The extended dark period has deep cultural significance for the region's Iñupiat people, who have traditionally used this time for storytelling, indoor crafts, and community gatherings. Modern residents continue many of these traditions while also embracing contemporary ways to cope with the darkness, including winter festivals and community events.
When the sun finally returns in January, it will mark the beginning of a gradual transition back to light, eventually culminating in the summer's midnight sun period, when the town sees 82 days of continuous daylight.
