Now that we’re in the heart of July, the long awaited warm weather is upon us. Despite the rising temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere, the sunny days we’ve been enjoying are actually getting shorter. With the summer solstice on June 21st, we’ve already had the longest day of the year. Clocking about fifteen hours of sunlight in Toronto, each day after the 21st gets consecutively shorter until we arrive at the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year with only roughly 6 hours of sun. That is unless, of course, you live well above the 49th parallel. For those living near to the Arctic Circle, the summer can see nearly 24 hours of straight sunlight. In these places, it’s no wonder that black out blinds are by far the most popular window coverings.
As one of the five major circles dividing the Earth latitudinally, the Arctic Circle is located 66 degrees north of the equator. The world’s most northerly countries have territories that lay within this parallel, and it is here that they experience the phenomenon called the midnight sun. The name is as literal as it gets, as the sun can still be seen high in the supposed night sky, shining brightly even when local clocks read midnight (or later) as the time.
The midnight sun is due to the axial tilt of the Earth. At approximately 23 degrees, the angle is extreme enough that the sun never appears to set at any time during the Earth’s rotation. At the exact poles of the Earth, this means the sun is always in the sky; only one day a year does the sun set at the North or South Poles. For the areas within the Arctic Circle (but far enough south from the pole), the midnight sun isn’t as constant. It is only experienced during the summer months.
The tilt of the Earth is angled enough that even those areas close to the 66th parallel see much longer days than we do here in Southern Ontario. Due to atmospheric refraction, the sun’s light rays bend around the curve of the Earth, allowing it to be seen at latitudes lower than the Arctic Circle. All 3 Canadian territories experience some form of the midnight sun, as do Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Finland, Greenland, and Iceland. Russia and parts of Alaska also experience much longer days, since any place located on the 60th parallel will have 20+ hours of sunlight during the summer. While the sun does truly set, unlike at the North Pole, it rests close enough to the horizon that these areas never experience true darkness. Something called twilight is experienced, and it’s bright enough that you can read by it.
For a sun-starved Canadian in the middle of winter, over 20 straight hours of sunlight sounds like a miracle, but for those north of 60, trying to get a good night’s rest during the summer can be frustrating. When the sun is bright enough, it can disrupt a restorative sleep schedule. For those with young children, the midnight sun can also confuse your kids and make them want to go out and play in the middle of the night. Residents of these areas have to use blackout blinds. As the most popular window covering in the territories, the thick fabric is impermeable. When rolled down, no sunlight can pass through its material, and a good night’s sleep is attainable.
For our customers in Southern Ontario, the midnight isn’t a concern, but for those of you working shift work, the sun can be disruptive to your sleep schedule. Our policy is that whatever works against the midnight sun can work for the noonday sun. Our blinds are a great way to stop the sun from getting into your spaces, wherever you live. The material is thick enough that the sun’s rays can’t permeate its material, but it’s thin enough to roll up discretely when not in use, resting flush against the window frame. They can fit within any design scheme, as they come in several attractive colours to complement your rooms.
While we haven’t had the best of summers this year, we’re completely satisfied with the number of hours of daylight we get. As nice as it is to catch some rays, too much sunlight can be disruptive to even the deepest sleeper’s slumber. If you’ve been finding the sun a little too bright this summer, come in to talk to our specialists, and they’ll find the appropriate, sun-blocking blind for you.