White nights have long been a business card, and one of the main attractions of St. Petersburg.This unusual natural optical phenomenon observed in St. Petersburg annually in the period from 11 June to 2 July.At this time, the center of the solar disk is lowered at midnight below the horizon line is not more than seven degrees, results in a sufficiently high level of illumination for that time of day.
unusual geography of this natural effect is quite extensive.White nights are observed at the beginning of summer in both hemispheres at latitudes greater than sixty degrees.But in our minds, they have become a symbol of St. Petersburg.At this time, if the city does not sleep and watching the magical nature of the studies.There are plenty of concerts, festivals, performances.It seems that the whole town is immersed in the magic of natural effects.At this time, it attracts a great number of tourists as well as film and music stars from around the world.
annually in North Palmyra in June held a rock festival with a very symbolic name "White Nights in St. Petersburg."Also at this time is held here an international kinokonkurs where the show films shot in a year.Days of the White Nights in the largest non-capital city of Europe have an extremely rich and intense cultural life.It's a magical celebration, presented by nature, which is also one of the tourist lures city on the Neva.St. Isaac's Cathedral at night white looks particularly impressive.
What is this phenomenon from an astronomical point of view and what is the mechanism of its formation?The term "white nights" to denote the qualitative characteristics of twilight, which is peculiar to a fairly high level of natural light.In fact, at a time close to the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, twilight merge with the morning.The process of the motion of the planet in its orbit is associated with a change in angle of the Earth's axis a certain number of degrees.This results in the movement of the North Pole to the point of perihelion, which is accompanied by a fall of almost perpendicular sunlight on the planet's surface in the polar regions.This is such an unusual optical effects, which came into use, called "white nights".
This natural phenomenon in Russia is not unique to St. Petersburg, but also for Murmansk, Norilsk, Vorkuta, Cherepovets, Vologda, Magadan, Nizhnevartovsk, Khanty-Mansiysk, Nefteyugansk, Surgut, Yakutsk, Arkhangelsk and many morecities and regions located north of the sixtieth parallel.In addition, this effect was observed at latitudes closer to the equator, which was caused by the fall of the Tunguska meteorite.After that on the territory of many countries of Europe and in Russia it was possible to observe different optical anomalies, including the so-called white light dawns and nights that are completely specific to these regions.
Outside Russia this phenomenon is also not such a rarity.Finland, for example, is generally considered the edge of the White Nights.Also, the optical effect of this natural characteristic of northern Sweden, Iceland, Norway, the polar regions of Canada, Greenland, and even Estonia.In the UK, the white nights can be seen in the Orkney Islands.
