The sun rises once a year at each pole. The North Pole's day lasts 186 days. How long does the South Pole's day last?
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179 days
The South Pole has 179 days of unbroken daylight, beginning today and ending at March's equinox. The North Pole's day starts then and lasts 186 days. Earth is closest to the sun in early January and moves fastest then, so it covers the southern half of the year more quickly.
Right now the sun is up at both poles at once: it rose at the South Pole on September 20 and does not set at the North Pole until September 25. Air bends sunlight, so each pole gets a few extra days around the equinoxes.
One day at the North Pole lasts 186 days, one day at the South Pole 179. Each pole gets a single sunrise a year.
Source: US Naval Observatory · checked Sep 2026