At this time of the year, sunset is taking place almost due north (Magnetic North is on the right hand side of the Blogroll). I forgot to look at my watch last night when I took this, I think it was close to midnight. The Arctic Circle begins at the point where the sun never sets at midsummer and never rises in midwinter. We’re a bit south of that point, it’s always set at least between about 12:30 and 01:30 here (the clocks are forward an hour, for summertime). In midwinter, it is always light at least between 09:00 and 3:o0 pm — it ought to be the exact opposite of summer, but it isn’t.
A Bad Guide 
This is very Middle Earth-looking.
Can’t imagine adapting to those daylight hours…
People stay up longer in summer, and further north they keep weird hours. Up there, you’re likely to get someone knocking on your door at three in the morning to see if you want to go out fishing. Even here, I might go out and do some gardening close to midnight.
Beautiful! I lived in Anchorage, Alaska for several years, and I remember. But the midwinter darkness was never sad (I have S.A.D.) because the snow made it light and bright. Lovely. Thank you for the reminder.
Even Edinburgh is far enough north to let you fit in golf after dinner or, for the truly civilised, croquet on the banks of the firth.
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet/Leisure/Museums_and_galleries/Services/Lauriston/CEC_lauriston_castle_and_grounds
No goats, though.
I agree. Snow, blue skies and sunshine are very helpful in that respect.
We can’t have croquet or cricket due to the slope; however, in winter we do have curling or croquet-on-ice.
No goats, but they have ghosts.
I couldn’t help but notice how far behind us you are in your seasons. Long after our tulips were done, your snow still hadn’t melted. (Everything was in full bloom at my parents’ house two hours south of here at Easter, and here a week or two later).
I wonder if the plants catch up somehow during the extended daylight.
Yes they do.
In Alaska, where the latitude compares with Norway’s, they have a short growing season but so many hours of summer sunlight that they are able to grow enormous, gigantic cabbages (among other veggies).
This lovely photo got me thinking once more about how much further North people live than South. Up here, the sort of latitudes you lot live in are rather wet and fluid. I don’t know exactly what latitude you’re at, but even trondheim’s 63N puts it much closer to rock bottom than Rakiura’s 47S does to the top. Te Whanganui ā Tara is apparently the southermost national capital in the world, but living 3.5 hours north of it means we’re still too far down to see the aurora.
I think of us as being on the right-hand side rather than the bottom.
Here, in the early part of the summer, you can see things grow; it’s at least a foot a week for things like clematis.
I’m prejudiced, but it seems a waste to grow cabbage. I quite like those decorative varieties, though.
People were surprised that we fed the goats arugula on their birthdays, but we grow the stuff ourselves and it’s very good. It has a stronger flavour than the store-bought leaves. Of course it always helps to eat something immediately you’ve picked it.
In winter, the Alaskans could try growing rhubarb in the dark, as they do in the rhubarb triangle that dearie linked to. I may try it myself.
Here in Moscow I wear sunglasses to drive out to the dacha at 10.00 pm. I was shocked last year in upstate NY when it was dark at 9pm. Ridiculous.
I think of us as being on the right-hand side rather than the bottom. A a very rough guess that puts Tibet on top – you’ve just made Richard Gere’s day.
Tibet’s both on top and bottom and on the sides too — I haven’t stopped the Earth from revolving.
I find winter to be the most dangerous driving weather, I get the low sun in my eyes. It causes traffic jams, here.
Stuart, is it a warm climate where you live? I’m assuming it’s warmer than the South Island, but I’ve never been clear about NZ’s climate. I suspect it rains quite a lot, perhaps it’s like Seattle’s.
The climate where I am is sort of “cool Med” – average around 15C – winters 5-12C, summers 23-35C, and long dry spells. It’s one of two main viticulture areas in the country, and the whole place is built around wine and oenophiles now, which is rather dull for those us who vomit at the mere smell of alcohol. The West Coast of the South Island is the wet bit – some parts have recorded up to 18 metres of rain a year.
My God, what a great climate! Poor South Islanders with 18 metres; they’d be dryer living in the sea, where do they put all that rain? I suppose they sell it to you lot up North.
“I suppose they sell it to you lot up North.” – Nearer the mark than you might think – South Island hydro lakes generate most of the North Island’s electricity. Every now and again errant anchors cripple large parts the country by severing one of the massive cables carrying the lectricity under Cook Strait.
Yes, we have the same problem, regardless of time of year. My dacha is due west from the city and it is impossible to drive into the low sun (at 2.30 to 10.30 pm, depending on time of year).
I didn’t realise how far north you were, I guess.