Why is it 6 months day and 6 months night on the pole

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Why is it 6 months day and 6 months night on the pole? We all must have heard about this question many times, but many of us may not know the answer to this question very well. Let us understand why this happens.

We all know that the Earth is round and tilted 23½° on its axis. The Earth revolves around the Sun in a fixed orbit and the Earth rotates on its axis in 24 hours. Earth is divided into continents and oceans. Also, two poles are found on the earth. 

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Where is the pole located?

Two poles are found on earth. North pole in the north and south pole in the south. The north pole is called the Arctic circle and the South pole is called the Antarctic circle. The Arctic Circle is 66 ½ ° North Latitude while the Antarctic Circle is 66 ½ ° Southern Latitude.

Reasons to be 6 months day and 6 months night in the Poles?

At the North Pole, the Sun rises around 22 March. At this time the North Pole of the Earth is on the Sun's horizon, when the Earth rotates due to its axis, only the North Pole would receive the Sun's light. At this time, the South Pole is opposite to the Sun, so the sunlight cannot reach here. Therefore, there is a 6 month day at the North Pole because sunlight exists here until 6 months.

On 23 September, the South Pole comes in front of the Sun and the Sun rises here for 6 months. At this time the North Pole is completely opposite to the Sun. In this way, the South Pole gets sunlight for 6 months. In contrast, the North Pole has a night for 6 months.

Why is life difficult on the pole?

There are 6 months of day and 6 months of the night on the pole and there is snow all year round, there is also a lack of basic facilities for people, so life is very difficult here, so there is a very small population here. It is colder than that because the North Pole is located in the middle of the ocean at sea level. At the North Pole, there is a 2-3 meter pearl layer of frozen ice on the sea while the thickness of the ice layer at the south pole is 1-2 meters. 

The North Pole is in the Arctic Ocean while the South Pole is in the Antarctic continent. Many countries have established their scientific research centers in the Antarctic continent. Antarctica has been recorded as the coldest place in the world. It is also called a snow desert. 

Countries located in the northern and southern poles-

  • Countries located in the North Pole - Canada, Greenland, Russia, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
  • Countries in the South Pole - Antarctic Continent

Other Important Points -

  • First-person to reach the North Pole - Robert Pierre (US)
  • The first woman to reach the North Pole - Ann Bencraft
  • First-person to reach the South Pole - Ronald Amundsen (Norway)
  • The first woman to reach the South Pole - Ann Bencraft
  • The first woman to reach the Antarctic continent - Zakirone
  • Research centers established by India in the Antarctic continent - Maitri (1989), Dakshin Gangotri (1983), Bharti (2012)

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