Alaska Sunset and Sunrise Photos

Sunset on Chugach Mountains near Matanuska Glacier

Being so far North, Alaska's daylight hours have an extreme fluctuation...not only in length of time but in quality of light. In peak summer, you may have no sunset at all and in winter no sunrise. However, at Alaska Stock Images, you will always find many Alaska photos including beautiful and dramatic Alaska Sunset Photos and Alaska Sunrise Photos.

Long summer days for fishing

It is argued that Alaska really only has two season: Summer and Winter. Of course winter is the longer of the two and provides much of the "reputation" of a harsh climate and limited daylight. It is true that temperatures can often reach a numbing -60 degrees in the interior parts of Alaska and daylight can be limited to a few hours of "dusk" each day. However, the vast majority of Alaska's population and visitors enjoy a relatively mild climate closer to the southern and coastal parts of the state. In fact, Anchorage often gets less snow than some of the cities in the lower 48 (such as Buffalo, NY). Valdez, Alaska proves the exception due to its location along the coast and the surrounding mountains that provide the perfect circumstances for snowfall. Known as one of the snowiest places in Alaska, the Valdez area can typically get 300-400 inches of snow.

Sunset in the Arctic

A look at temperatures in various Alaska locations on Dec. 21, 1999, the day before the winter solstice, provides an idea of the range of winter weather in the state. The high temperature was 50 (Fahrenheit) in Sitka, which is in Southeast Alaska, and the low was -41 in Deering, a village on the shores of Kotzebue Sound in Northwest Alaska. The high in Fairbanks was 12; in Barrow, on the North Slope, it was -8; and at Dutch Harbor, in the Aleutians, it was 27. The high in Anchorage was 41, well above the normal high for that day of 22, and it had 5 hours and 28 minutes of daylight on this, the day before the shortest day of the year. Barrow was plunged in darkness because for two months around the solstice, the sun does not rise above the horizon and about a month of that time is in total darkness.

Midnight Sun

The Arctic Circle (latitude 66'34") is the point at which the sun either doesn't set or doesn't rise at the time of Summer or Winter Solstice. The Arctic Circle is about 125 miles north of Fairbanks and provides a unique experience for those wishing to see the sun just "kiss" the mountaintops before rising again.

Although Winter provides much of he "myth" of Alaska, Summer is truly the jewel. "Long summer days" has an extra meaning for Alaskans. It is not uncommon to find people mowing their lawns at 11:00 at night or even reading a book at 2:00am. All of Alaska experiences some degree of 24-hour daylight at the solstice. Barrow enjoys up to 85 days of continuous daylight! Of course with all of this daylight, one of the results is an unusual growing season. Although the summer growing season is short in terms of time, the extended daylight hours actually provide for an "extended" growing season. The most famous Alaskan produce is the Giant Cabbage. The Alaska State Fair holds a contest every year for weighing in the heaviest cabbage. These giant vegetables can weigh in excess of a 100 lbs. Other vegetables such as zucchini, turnip, and pumpkin also enjoy the benefits of the long hours of daylight.

Giant Cabbage

Of course the changing daylight also provide opportunities for photographers compared to no other. With lingering sunsets and low-angle lighting for much of the year, Alaska's light provides photographers with ample time to catch a much-desired warm, rich light. Some might argue that it is difficult to be a photographer in Alaska in the summer because the light stays so inviting so late; getting some sleep is the bigger challenge!

Long hours for photography

Books of Interest:

Alaska's Weather (Alaska Geographic) - This issue helps readers answer that often-asked question: What's the weather like? Also provides glimpses into the ways in which Alaskans cope with their notorious climate. With index.