The magical polar night in Svalbard
In Svalbard, the dark season lasts for several months, from the end of October to the middle of February. However, between 14 November and 29 January, we enter the most enchanting and cozy phase of the dark season known as the polar night. During this time, the sun is never visible above the horizon, yet it's not entirely dark. The light from the hidden sun provides a few hours of daylight, and the significant turning point occurs around the winter solstice on 22 December. In this article, our expedition guide Olivier, who previously lived in Svalbard for six years, shares his unique experiences of the darkest of all dark seasons.
It's easy to believe that the dark season and the polar night are the same thing, but that's not the case. The difference is defined by how far the sun is below the horizon. The polar night is a rare phenomenon that occurs on the northern hemisphere at latitude 72°34' and further north. It is distinguished by when the sun never rises past 6 degrees or more below the horizon. In Svalbard, the polar night lasts from 14 November to 29 January and is classified as a 'civil polar night,' which means that even though darkness is complete, one can expect some twilight at the horizon in the middle of the day. Nevertheless, the polar night is often experienced as consistently dark both day and night, due to Svalbard's mountainous terrain obscuring the horizon in the distance.
With six years of prior residency in Svalbard and an active guiding profession year-round, our expedition guide, Olivier Kopp Wålberg, possesses a unique insight into life in this place where the sun doesn't rise for several months. We took the opportunity to ask him some questions about how this extreme winter transforms Svalbard and how it affects the people who live there.
How would you describe the polar night?
– For many people, the polar night is a time when Longyearbyen quiets down and enters a kind of 'hibernation.' The local community finds peace, and there is also a lot of social interaction in the town, such as the jazz festival. The polar night consists of an endless starry sky when the weather is clear, and we are fortunate to be able to see the Northern Lights twice a day. Northern Lights during the day and Northern Lights in the evening. It's a fantastic time.
What is it like to live in Svalbard during the months when the sun never rises?
– Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that we have more time to be together, socialize, go out to one of the many restaurants in town, and see the Northern Lights very often. It's a good time for people in Longyearbyen to relax after a long peak season. The disadvantages are that it's dark all the time. Our bodies need daylight to recharge our energy reserves, so we are often tired, sleep more, and have a little less energy. But with good routines like food, exercise, and social interaction, it goes very well. The first year in Svalbard is often the toughest. Then you get more used to it.
Are there any activities in Svalbard during these months?
– During the polar night, we have several activities in Longyearbyen, such as camp nights with good food and lectures, Northern Lights hunts, museums, city walks, mountain hikes, and mine visits. As soon as there's enough snow, snowmobile tours, dog sledding, and snowmobiling near Longyearbyen also start. It's definitely a good time to visit Svalbard because there are fewer tourists and more space to relax and enjoy the darkness.
How are you affected by the extreme differences, from the midnight sun to the polar night?
– We naturally notice a difference in energy levels. The average sleep time during the polar night is 10.5 hours, and during the midnight sun, it's 4 hours. Many people feel more tired and exhausted and need to stay active. Many choose to vacation abroad in warmer climates when the seasons are over to catch up on some sun or night time. The downside of the midnight sun is that we are very rarely tired and often suffer from sleep deprivation, which is not good either.
In your opinion, can you "store energy" from the light season to cope with the dark season?
You can definitely store a lot of energy during the summer. But when the midnight sun is over, many of us have slept so little and worked so much that we can't wait for the dark season to arrive and get some sleep again without having to tape the windows with aluminum foil or very dark curtains.
Sources: Visit Svalbard and SMHI
Destinations
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Since 1999, we have taken travellers on once-in-a-lifetime trips to Svalbard. From May to September our three small expedition ships, carrying only 12 and 50 passengers, explore this magnificent Arctic archipelago. Unpredictability and flexibility are the main keywords when you travel with PolarQuest as the exact route depends on weather, ice conditions and wildlife encounters. Sometimes you might be woken up in the middle of the night if a polar bear has been spotted on the ice.
