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Midnight Sun Tracker

The Midnight Sun Tracker calculates the number of daylight hours, including civil twilight, you can experience in Fairbanks, Coldfoot and Utqiaġvik (formerly known as Barrow) at different times of the year. Because Fairbanks is so far north, the area experiences 70 straight days of sunlight from approximately May 17th through July 27th, and conversely, during the Winter Season, the area experiences a significant reduction of daylight hours.

Change the calendar on the Midnight Sun Tracker and/or location and check out the radical shift in light for the three areas any time of year.

Can I see the Aurora right now?

Aurora Season: August 21-April 21

Check back frequently to see how up-to-the-minute, real-time aurora viewing opportunities change based on current aurora activity, weather and daylight.

When can I see the Midnight Sun?

Midnight Sun Season: April 22-August 20

Change the date on the calendar to see how the amount of daylight hours changes throughout the year.

Click on place names to see how chances of seeing the aurora borealis can differ based on location.

Click on place names to see how the chances of seeing the midnight sun differ based on location.

 

 

 

 

For More Info and 3-Day Forecast

Midnight Sun Tracker Map

Midnight Sun Tracker Map

Midnight Sun Tracker Locations

  • Fairbanks - Latitude 65}

    Fairbanks - Latitude 65

    Located in the middle of the state, Fairbanks is in the sub-Arctic about 140 miles/225 km south of the Arctic Circle. More

  • Coldfoot -  Latitude 67}

    Coldfoot - Latitude 67

    A tiny wilderness community 260 miles/435 km north of Fairbanks, mid-way between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay. More

  • Utqiagvik - Latitude 71}

    Utqiagvik - Latitude 71

    Located on the Arctic Ocean with over 4,000 residents. By air, the village is 503 miles/810 km from Fairbanks and is the northernmost point of the US. More

Midnight Sun Webcams

Sun Averages for Fairbanks, Alaska

Explore More About The Midnight Sun

Midnight Sun Patio
Civil Twilight
Civil twilight is an aeronautical term which determines the amount of light by how far the sun has gone below the horizon. If the sun has gone 6 degrees or less below the horizon there is considered to be “usable daylight hours.” This term is further defined by the ability of a pilot to clearly recognize objects on the ground as well as the horizon in reasonable weather. Click here for a link to civil twilight information: More
Midnight Sun In Fairbanks Alaska
Sunrises and Sunsets
Sunsets and sunrises seem to last forever in the sub-Arctic. From mid-May through the end of July, the sunset literally merges with the sunrise casting a beautiful golden light that lasts for hours. During winter months, sunsets and sunrises often are accompanied by alpenglow, a sublime pinky peach radiance that rests atop mountains and hills and makes trees glisten. More
Midnight Sun Run
Midnight Sun Activities
Midnight sun activities include everything from watching a baseball game to going on a hike, riding a bike or teeing off a round of golf at 10 pm. Enjoy the flowers and vegetables that grow to an outlandish size under the golden light of the midnight sun and feel the powerful energy of a day without night. More
Flower and photographer at Chena Hot Springs Resort
Photographing The Midnight Sun
Photographing the midnight sun is a wondrous activity. For photographers, the Fairbanks region and farther north is a dream come true because the extended sunsets and sunrises allow for an ample amount of time to capture the perfect shot. The midnight sun often follows along the horizon dipping below only briefly before rising again. Find a vantage point on your own or with a tour guide that affords a sweeping view or a unique angle of the midnight sun and the horizon and start shooting!
A sign that reads LOVE ALASKA during a sunset along the Chena River
Solstices and Equinoxes
Solstices and equinoxes are dates that mark significant cyclical changes that define seasonal life in the sub-Arctic. Summer solstice, although full of light, denotes the day that Fairbanks starts losing sunlight and winter solstice, although quite dark, denotes the day when Fairbanks starts gaining daylight. Fairbanks, in essence, is always moving towards the darkness or moving towards the light. More