Cities of the Midnight Sun
These cities are living under the midnight sun right now, with the Sun never dipping below the horizon.
| # | City | Country | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Alta | Norway | Midnight sun (24h daylight) |
| 🥈 | Tromsø | Norway | Midnight sun (24h daylight) |
| 🥉 | Talnakh | Russia | Midnight sun (24h daylight) |
| 4 | Zapolyarnyy | Russia | Midnight sun (24h daylight) |
| 5 | Dudinka | Russia | Midnight sun (24h daylight) |
| 6 | Nikel | Russia | Midnight sun (24h daylight) |
| 7 | Kayyerkan | Russia | Midnight sun (24h daylight) |
| 8 | Norilsk | Russia | Midnight sun (24h daylight) |
What Causes the Midnight Sun?
The midnight sun happens when a place is tilted so far toward the Sun that our star never sets, circling the sky instead of dipping below the horizon. It occurs above the Arctic Circle (and below the Antarctic Circle) around the local summer solstice. The closer a city is to the pole, the longer its midnight-sun season lasts, from a single day at the polar circle to months at the highest latitudes.
For residents this means around-the-clock daylight, which affects sleep, energy use, and a whole tradition of late-night festivals and sports. The cities listed here are experiencing the midnight sun on July 20, 2026, ordered by how far they sit from the equator.