Final answer:
Astronomical characteristics of places can include descriptions of the sky's appearance or the sun's behavior. The 'land of the midnight Sun' refers to places north of the Arctic Circle where the sun is visible for 24 hours a day during summer solstice. Conversely, during winter, the 'polar night' brings 24 hours of darkness to these regions.
Step-by-step explanation:
To describe the astronomical characteristics of a place, one could use phrases like:
- 'The sky shimmers in fluorescent colors at night,' which might describe areas near the poles where auroras are common.
- 'It is absolutely silent,' might not specifically describe a place astronomically but gives a sensory detail of the environment.
- 'In the winter, it is dark 24 hours a day,' easily describes regions within the Arctic Circle during polar night, where the sun does not rise above the horizon.
Moreover, in regions known as the 'land of the midnight Sun,' such as north of the Arctic Circle, it means that during the summer months, and especially at the time of the summer solstice, the sun is visible for 24 hours a day. This is due to Earth's tilt and the way the North Pole tilts towards the sun during these months. For the same reason, during the winter months in the far northern latitudes, the sun does not rise, leading to 24 hours of darkness, known as the polar night. Observations of the stars are difficult during the summer in these locations because the sun's continuous presence in the sky prevents them from being visible.