Week 25 at the Pole

Marker and flags at ceremonial South Pole shown in foreground, bright green auroras in background, low in dark night sky.
Marc Jacquart, IceCube/NSF

For those who spend a year living at the South Pole, they are treated to glorious night skies in the winter season. Last week was a case in point, with displays of bright auroras, lots of stars, and glimpses of the Milky Way. Winterovers also get to experience a multitude of South Pole station traditions and reasons to celebrate. High up on that list is midwinter, which they observed last week with the long-established midwinter dinner. The station galley is shown below all decked out for the celebratory meal.  

South Pole station galley with formal table settings for the midwinter meal.
Michelle Endo, GSC
The IceCube Lab in winter, snowdrift in front, auroras overhead.
Marc Jacquart, IceCube/NSF
View looking up at tall frosty radio antenna, pointing toward Milky Way overhead.
Marc Jacquart, IceCube/NSF