Photograph the Midnight Sun
Contrary to your first impression of June nights in Fairbanks, the sun actually sets every evening for at least two hours. The "midnight sun" can be seen from Eagle Summit which is about 100 miles north on the Steese Highway. Eagle Summit is not north of the arctic circle but the midnight sun can be seen from there between June 17 and 24. Two effects combine to make this possible. First, the altitude at the summit is roughly 3,600 feet above sea-level. This gives enough height so that an observer can see over the sea-level horizon. Another effect is atmospheric refraction. This is the bending of light rays by the atmosphere in such a way that the sun can be as much as 3 degrees below the horizon of an observer and still be seen.
We offer the following tips to those who would photograph the midnight sun from Eagle Summit.
If you want to take photographs you will need to do some planning. First, make sure you have the necessary equipment. The most critical item is mosquito repellent--several gallons. You also will need a camera that takes multiple exposures and a steady tripod.
At Eagle Summit, the sun is at its lowest point at 12:48 a.m. Put the camera on the steady tripod, and place the sun in the left side of the viewfinder, than take the first photo at 11:48. Taking care not to move the camera, take photographs every ten minutes over a period of two hours. That's 13 clicks of the shutter. The last photo will be at 1:48: at this time the sun should be near the right edge of the viewfinder. The photo will show 13 images of the sun arranged in an arc with the lowest point in the center.
A light reading into the sun taken at the beginning of the sequence will provide an estimate of the exposure to use. Close the camera aperture down two steps from the indicated reading. Do not vary the exposure in subsequent shots.
Be careful the mosquitos don't fly away with your camera.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has built and maintained parking areas and hiking trails in the Eagle Summit area. They have a brochure describing the area and in particular the 23-mile Pinnell Mountain Trail going from Eagle Summit to 12 mile Summit along the mountain ridges. A new brochure is being prepared by BLM for release later this year which describes the phenomena of the midnight sun from Eagle Summit.
