On November 18, 2025, Utqiagvik, Alaska, witnessed its final sunset of the year. The sun disappeared below the horizon and will not rise again until between January 22 and January 26, 2026. This means the city will spend 64 days in Polar Night, a period with no true daylight. Utqiagvik, previously called Barrow, is the northernmost town in the United States. It lies about 500 miles northwest of Fairbanks on Alaska’s North Slope, near the Arctic Ocean. About 4,400 to 5,000 people live there. During the Polar Night, the sun never rises above the horizon. However, the city still enjoys a few hours of civil twilight each day, giving the landscape a bluish glow. The snow, sea ice, and buildings remain visible in this pale light. Polar Night happens because Earth tilts on its axis by about 23.5 degrees. In winter, the Northern Hemisphere leans away from the sun. Places above the Arctic Circle, like Utqiagvik at 71.17°N, experience days when the sun does not rise at all. The opposite occurs in summer when Utqiagvik experiences the "midnight sun"—24 hours of daylight for nearly three months. When the sun disappears, the Arctic cools sharply. This helps form the polar vortex, a cold air mass spinning over the North Pole. Sometimes this vortex weakens, sending cold air south and affecting winters far away in Europe and North America. People outside Alaska find the long darkness hard to imagine. Online discussions mix horror and curiosity. However, locals say the darkness feels "dark and cosy". Many sleep well and enjoy the slow winter rhythm. For some, the endless daylight in summer is even more challenging. Despite the dark days, life continues. Schools, shops, and community events go on as usual. The local Iñupiat people have adapted to the Arctic conditions for centuries. The town lights up with artificial lighting and the northern lights, creating a unique atmosphere. After about 64 days, Utqiagvik will see sunlight again in late January 2026. The first sunrise will appear low on the horizon at around 1:23 pm local time, marking the end of Polar Night and the start of a new season.