Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station

The Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station is a United States research station at the South Pole in Antarctica. It is one of the most remote and extreme places where people live and work.

 Location 
The station is located at the Geographic South Pole, the southernmost point on Earth. It is on a thick sheet of ice called the Antarctic Plateau, about 2,800 meters (9,300 feet) above sea level.

 History 
The station was first built in 1956 by the United States Navy for scientific research during the International Geophysical Year (1957–1958). It has been used ever since. The current main building opened in 2008, replacing older structures. The station is named after Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott, the first explorers to reach the South Pole in the early 1900s.

 Purpose 
Amundsen–Scott Station is used for science and research in many areas:
Astronomy
Climate and weather
Glaciers and ice sheets
Earth science
Space and atmospheric studies

It is a good place for astronomy because the air is very dry and clear, with almost no light pollution.

 People 
In the summer, around 150 people live and work at the station. In the winter, only about 40–50 people stay. In winter, the station is completely cut off from the rest of the world.

 Facilities 
The station has:
Living quarters
A dining area
Science labs
A small gym
A greenhouse
Communication equipment

There is also a runway on the ice for planes to land during the summer.

 Climate 
The South Pole is extremely cold and has an ice cap climate. Temperatures can drop below −60 °C (−76 °F) in winter. Even in summer, it is often below freezing. It is one of the coldest and driest places on Earth. There is no daylight for about six months in winter, and no darkness for about six months in summer. During the winter months, the station is in complete darkness, and the temperature is too cold for planes to fly. The people staying must be completely self-sufficient until the sun and planes return in spring. During the polar night there, only the aurora australis (southern lights) can be seen there.
Category:Antarctica
Category:Research stations in Antarctica