The 21st of December is the Winter Solstice in Greenland – the shortest day of the year. 

Often people imagine complete darkness throughout the entire country, but it actually depends on exactly where you are located. You may experience 24 hours of complete darkness, or you may enjoy up to 4 hours of daylight. It all depends on how far north you are, with the Arctic Circle defining the latitude at which the Sun does not rise above the horizon.

Greenlanders have a long history of celebrating this special day. They know it is the turning point for winter and that the days will get longer and brighter for the next few months. They also celebrate its opposite – the Summer Solstice on the 21st of June. This was another very important day for the Inuit and is now celebrated as Greenland’s National Day.

We invite you to explore the light in the darkness with eleven amazing local photographers from South, East, West and North Greenland. Their images were all taken within a few days of the Winter Solstice when the light was at its brightest, and show what different locations within the enormous island of Greenland look like on this darkest day of the year.

Explore the light in the darkness.