Kipnuk is also home to a number of natural attractions. The Tanana River is a popular fishing destination, and the surrounding countryside is ri...
Sunset
Twilight
Darkness
Most people know that sunset is the time when the sun goes down. But did you know that the sun doesn't actually set? Instead, Earth rotates into darkness, giving us the illusion that the sun is setting. So what causes sunset?
Well, it's a combination of things. The Earth's atmosphere scatters sunlight in every direction, but blue and violet light are scattered more than other colors. This is why the sky is usually blue during the daytime. As the sun gets lower in the sky, the atmosphere becomes thicker and more dense.
This scattering of sunlight happens to a greater extent, and we see red and orange light more than blue and violet light. That's why sunset is usually a beautiful red or orange color. So next time you see sunset, remember that you're actually seeing Earth rotate into darkness!
Kipnuk is the administrative center of Kipnuk Census Area in the Tanana Valley of Alaska. The population was 2,359 at the 2000 census, up from 1,779 in 1990. Kipnuk is located about southeast of Anchorage, at an elevation of 494 meters (1,581 feet).
Kipnuk is located on the centerline of the Tanana River, on the eastern bank opposite the larger community of Kaltag. Approximately north of Kipnuk is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The closest state capital and metropolitan area is Anchorage, about to the northwest.
Kipnuk experiences a continental climate with significant regional variations. The warmer months are typified by mild, damp days and cold, clear nights, and the cooler months are marked by sharp temperature differences and occasional blizzards. The average annual temperature is about ; temperatures vary from in January to in July. Precipitation is about , with a July high of and an January low of .
Kipnuk is the easternmost incorporated city in Alaska; the only other city west of the Continental Divide is Chicken, which is situated on the eastern edge of the Brooks Range.
The only road into Kipnuk is from the east, via Kaltag. The town relies on airplane and snowmachine travel for its transportation needs.
The Tanana Valley is renowned for its produce, and Kipnuk has a number of distinct stores and restaurants serving local produce. The town also has a fuel supply, with both truck and station ownership.
The closest state capital and metropolitan area is Anchorage, about to the northwest.
The first white people to come to what would become Kipnuk were the surveyors of the Russian-American Company in the early 1870s. In 1875, a group of hunters and trappers built a trading post at the mouth of the Tanana River. They called their settlement Kipnuk (the Inuit name for "place where the river splits", from "ki" meaning "river" and "nuk" meaning "place"). The post was abandoned a few years later, but the name was later revived when the settlers arrived in 1880.
The census area that includes Kipnuk was established in 1950 and was formally organized in 1951. At the time of the 2000 census, the population was 2,359.
The Tanana Valley has long been a center of agriculture, and Kipnuk is no exception. The town is home to a number of small businesses, including a grocery store, gas station, and hardware store. There is also a post office, a bank, and a number of restaurants.
Kipnuk is also home to a number of natural attractions. The Tanana River is a popular fishing destination, and the surrounding countryside is rich in wildlife.
}As the sun sets, the sky slowly grows dark. For many people, this is a time to relax and wind down for the day. But have you ever wondered exactly when it gets dark? The answer may surprise you.
Did you know that darkness actually begins long before the sun sets? As the sun gets lower in the sky, its light has to travel through more atmosphere. This filters out some of the blue light, making the sun look redder. At the same time, shadows get longer and darker. So by the time the sun finally dips below the horizon, darkness has already begun to fall.
Of course, not all places on Earth experience darkness at the same time. Near the equator, the sun sets and rises almost directly overhead. This means that there is less of a difference between daytime and nighttime. Closer to the poles, however, the sun stays low in the sky for much of the year. This leads to longer periods of darkness during wintertime.