The midnight sun is a phenomenon that occurs north of the arctic circle in summertime (and south of the antarctic circle in Southern Hemisphere summer). Because the earth's axis is not perpendicular to the plane of orbit around the sun, these parts of the world have a period in the summer when the sun never sets (and a corresponding period in winter when it never rises). This period is centered in time around the summer solstice (winter solstice).

Mid"night` sun.

The sun shining at midnight in the arctic or antarctic summer.

 

© Webster 1913

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