Although temperatures in northernmost Finland are still below freezing and balmy summer seems a distant thought, residents of the country’s far north have begun experiencing the time of the midnight sun.
At this time of the year, the sun will not dip below the horizon and may shine for up to 300 hours during June and July.
According to Helsinki University’s Almanac Office – which is the arbiter of all things relating to almanacs – the sun set at 42 minutes past midnight on Sunday, making Monday the first day of the midnight sun.
However since Sunday’s sunset occurred in the wee hours of Monday, some might also argue that Sunday saw the first nightless night.
South of Utsjoki in somewhat more densely-populated Sodankylä the white nights will arrive two weeks later, according to the almanac keepers.