When Can You See the Sunset and Sunrise at Vinson Massif in Antarctica?

[natski]

Hi all,

I was under the impression that during the winter the sky is always dark in Antarctica. I am specifically interested in the mountain Vinson Massif. I am trying to find out at what time of the year one could observe either a sunset or sunrise under the coldest conditions possible and at the highest altitude possible. Vinson Massif seems to me to be the best pick of both of these conditions.

So can anyone tell me the date of the last sunset in the summer and the first sunrise in the winter? Also, do you know kind of temperature to expect at the summit of Vinson Massif at these moments? Finally, is there often cloud cover below the summit which would block viewing of the ground below?

Thanks.

 

[Andre]

Voila

Last sunset prior to the winter 22 April 1803 GMT
First sunrise August 21 1700 GMT

Data can be computed here:
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.html

Scroll down to Form B:

Long: west 85 degrees 37 minutes
Lat: South 78 degrees 32 minutes

Temperatures: http://data.giss.nasa.gov/work/gistemp/STATIONS//tmp.700890340000.1.1/station.txt (Belgrado station)

monthly averages around -18 -20 degrees celsius, not corrected for orographic effects.

better bring a body wamer.

 

[caslav.ilic]

I was under the impression that during the winter the sky is always dark in Antarctica. [...] I am trying to find out at what time of the year one could observe either a sunset or sunrise [...]

Poles actually do not have a "long day" and a "long night" as such, but more like one normal day stretched accros the whole year. The sun is spiralling across the sky, one full circle each standard day, rather than moving in an arc that we've come to expect in the small to moderate lattitudes. So, there is one long dawn, long morning, long afternoon, etc.

The "sunrise" would be the tip of the sun starting to circle around the horizon, growing more and more until it fully pops up (in couple of standard days?) Therefore, not that I was there to see it personally, but I imagine that observing sunrise/sunset on the poles would be quite a boring experience... Unless, perhaps, you were stationed there for months already, and are eagerly awaiting it :)

--
Chusslove Illich (Часлав Илић)

 

[Andre]

Also about those dates and times, those should be corrected for altitude. The higher you are the earlier the sun rises. Should be easy math though.