Eureka, the Sun!
February 19, 2001
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster
After being absent from the sky since October 20, the Arctic settlement of Eureka, in northern Canada, will finally see the Sun tomorrow (I bet it'll be cloudy). The distortion of the Sun in the above photograph is due to atmospheric refraction. Located at a latitude of approximately 80 degrees north, the Sun has been below the horizon in Eureka for 123 consecutive days. At 1:14 in the afternoon tomorrow, the Sun will make its first appearance of the new year, and officially, the new millennium. It'll be up for just for a brief "hello." It sets at 2:28 p.m. However, by mid April, it'll be up day and night. It's not known whether Eureka was named as a result of the exclamation made when the return of the Sun was first observed.
Related Links: