Week 37 at the Pole

Winterovers preparing for group photo at ceremonial Pole flag circle at sunrise.
Wenceslas Marie-Sainte, IceCube/NSF

The early part of last week at the Pole was a little quiet, with just some troubleshooting stemming from a software crash. But then things picked up. It was the time of year when the flags around the ceremonial Pole are swapped out for fresh ones. These flags take quite a beating from the elements throughout the winter. The winterovers often take this opportunity to get in a group photo, as shown above. Afterwards, they hold a raffle to distribute the tattered flags to a few lucky winterovers, who often have a particular flag they hope to get. This year, Moreno won the US flag, but Celas was disappointed to not get the Norwegian flag. Oh well, his consolation prize was capturing some lovely outdoor sunrise photos, the ones below showing different views of the satellite domes. At the end of the week, they held their traditional sunrise celebratory meal, this year with a fancy brunch.

Orange sunlight on horizon at the South Pole, with satellite dome in foreground.
Wenceslas Marie-Sainte, IceCube/NSF
View of satellite dome at South Pole sunrise, with sunlight coming from behind.
Wenceslas Marie-Sainte, IceCube/NSF
Colorful sunrise at the South Pole with three satellite domes in silhouette in the distance.
Wenceslas Marie-Sainte, IceCube/NSF
Close-up of fancy dessert on white plate.
Wenceslas Marie-Sainte, IceCube/NSF