Sun Finally Returns to South Pole After 6 Months of Darkness

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Timelapse satellite imagery released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows the sun rising over Antarctica for the first time in six months on September 20, signaling the start of spring in the southern hemisphere.The timelapse was captured over several months, from July 9 to October 1, and “shows the day-night terminator moving closer and closer to Antarctica in the lead-up” to the sun’s arrival, the NOAA said.Station Chief Krystian Kopka spent winter at the South Pole and celebrated the sun’s arrival, according to the NOAA. “The horizon is starting to glow again and it feels like we are slowly waking up from a frozen dream. Not only has it been both a challenging and rewarding experience wintering at the Pole, but knowing that I will be back home soon adds a layer of bittersweet reflection,” Kopka was quoted as saying.The NOAA said Kopka would return home in November after his replacements arrive. “Until then, Kopka will have a critical role monitoring the seasonal Antarctic ozone hole, which starts forming in September when sunlight triggers chemical reactions in the atmosphere that deplete Earth’s protective ozone layer.” Credit: NOAA Satellites via Storyful
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