The Sun Does Not Set in Utqiagvik, Alaska

May 11, 2026, 20:43
USScience

Introduction

The city of Utqiagvik has a special time of year. The sun stays in the sky for about 84 days.

Main Body

The sun stopped setting on May 10. This happens because the Earth tilts toward the sun. Utqiagvik is the only city in the USA where this happens. Other countries have this too. These are Canada, Russia, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, and Greenland. In winter, the opposite happens. From November to January, the city has a 'polar night'. The sun does not rise during this time.

Conclusion

The sun will stay in the sky until August 2.

Learning

☀️ Opposite Words

In the story, we see two opposite ideas. Learning these helps you describe the world simply.

Rise (Go up) →\rightarrow Set (Go down)

  • The sun rises in the morning.
  • The sun sets in the evening.

🌍 Using "This"

Look at the sentence: "This happens because the Earth tilts."

We use This to talk about an idea we just mentioned.

The sun stays in the sky →\rightarrow This (the staying in the sky) happens because of the Earth.

🗓️ Time Words

  • From... to... →\rightarrow used for a start and end date.
  • Example: From November to January.

Vocabulary Learning

city
A large town or a group of buildings in a particular area.
Example:Utqiagvik is a city in Alaska.
sun
The star that gives light and heat to Earth.
Example:The sun rises in the east.
sky
The area above the earth that appears blue during the day.
Example:The sky is clear and blue.
days
Units of time equal to 24 hours.
Example:There are 365 days in a year.
setting
The action of the sun going down at the end of the day.
Example:The setting of the sun is beautiful.
Earth
The planet we live on.
Example:Earth rotates once every 24 hours.
tilt
A slight leaning or sloping of something.
Example:The Earth's tilt causes the seasons.
winter
The coldest season of the year.
Example:Winter is very cold in Utqiagvik.
polar
Relating to the North or South Pole.
Example:Polar bears live in the Arctic.
night
The period of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
Example:Night comes after evening.