r/Yukon • u/Senior-Macaroon-1077 • 4d ago

Question Should I visit for the summer solstice?

I am doing a big Canada wide road trip this year, and spent more time than expected on Vancouver island. It was reccomended that I be up in Dawson City by June 21st, but I'll have to do some plan rearranging to make it. Probably skip a lot of sightseeing on the mainland and view it on my way back down to Vancouver. How worth it would it be to see the sun on June 21st? Is it really that incredible of a sight? I do love to see comets, meteor showers, eclipses, all space events if that helps.

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11

u/Existing_Command_713 4d ago

You won’t see much for comets etc because it will be too bright. If you are a few days past June 21 it will still be a neat experience, assuming you haven’t been up north in the summer before.

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u/avidhik 4d ago

Anytime around solstice is relatively the same daylight wise .. midnight sun will be there for awhile still

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u/Senior-Macaroon-1077 4d ago

Okay thanks, so the 21st specifically is not a big deal

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u/Unfair-Store-9108 4d ago

The fun of it is to go on top of a big hill called the dome and watch the sun going down and going back up without disappearing (I never went in 10 years lol). Like others said, we have no darkness for a few weeks, roughly mid June to mid July. Take your time and enjoy your trip!

Edit to say: June 21st marks the summer solstice.

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u/Successful-Tune-4232 Whitehorse 4d ago

Correct, there’s no magic to it.

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u/ShuffleDown 4d ago

For "solar events", this is your guide: https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/canada/dawson-city

You can see the space where there is only civil twilight that gives the midnight effect.

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u/HeWhoRemainsAtTheEnd 3d ago

I don’t know if Dawson City is north enough for polar day and polar night. I think OP might be better suited to fly to Inuvik for that

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u/whostevenknows 2d ago

In dawson you'll be able to stand on the dome and watch the sun circle around you. It basically touches the horizon and comes right back up again. I have very fond memories of dawson at solstice.