Solstice Puts A Damper on the Nightlife

This time of year is one of the most epic times for Alaskan living. The solstice, as defined on Wikipedia is one of two times a year that one of the hemispheres is closest to the sun. What results is the longest day of the year. As a kid growing up in Portland, the concept never resonated that one day would be longer than any other; however in Alaska the effects are obvious. In Anchorage we technically don’t have 24 hours of daylight, but having stayed up all night on the solstice more than once, I can tell you that it really never gets truly dark at any point. We experience a long drawn out dusk, which at some point turns into a long drawn out dawn and then the sun is up again. I have a pessimistic friend who is quick to point out that although the Alaskan summer is officially underway at Solstice, we only start to lose daylight from here on out. You can’t think about the Summer Solstice without thinking about the Winter Solstice, but we won’t go there today.

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