Expert: Ed - 10/30/2006

Question
Hello there. Why are nights lighter in England, than say, U.S.A. or other parts of Europe? For example, it is dark in Cyprus  in the summer by 8pm. However, in the U.K. it is still light at 10pm. What causes this and why the difference?

Thank You

Answer
Ruth,

It's because of England's rich heritage of illuminated, enlightened, brilliant high culture.  It lights up the sky!  

No, really, it's just a matter of latitude.  The UK is far, far to the north of Cyprus, and is also north of virtually everwhere in the USA, except Alaska.  Look at a map of the world, and compare how far north you are to Cyprus.  The more northerly latitudes have longer nights in winter, and longer days in summer.  

If you travel far enough to the north, (near the north pole, much farther north than the Orkneys and Shetlands), it stays fairly light outside 24 hours a day, for a large part of the summer.  Conversely, it stays dark outside for 24 hours a day, in the middle of the winter.

This topic is actually connected to the news stories that you have probably heard, about the possibility that the UK could suddenly get much colder, if the warm North Atlantic Current shuts down due to decreased salinity.  That warm current keeps the weather artificially warm in the UK.  Without the current, the climate in the UK would be comparable to the climate in other places at its latitude, such as Hudson Bay in Canada.  

Think how cold it could get, if the sun never rose very high in the sky for 6 months every year, and there were no North Atlantic Current to keep you warm...  There are polar bears in Hudson Bay.  There could have been polar bears in the UK, if it weren't for the current.

I hope this is helpful, and maybe even interesting or funny.  Keep Looking Up!
--Ed