McMurdo Station

McMurdo Station is a United States research station in Antarctica. It is the largest community on the continent and is located on Ross Island, near the Antarctic coast.

 Location 
McMurdo Station is on the southern tip of Ross Island, which is in McMurdo Sound. It is close to Mount Erebus, a large volcano. The station is about 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) south of New Zealand.

 History 
McMurdo Station was built in 1956 by the United States Navy. It was made as a supply base for scientific research in Antarctica. Since then, it has grown and now supports many science missions.

 Purpose 
The station is used for scientific research. Scientists study:
 Weather and climate
 Glaciers and ice
 Animals, like penguins and seals
 Space and astronomy

It also helps supply other research stations in Antarctica.

 People 
In the summer, about 1,000 people live at McMurdo Station. In the winter, only about 150 people stay. Most people are scientists, engineers, or support workers.

 Facilities 

McMurdo Station has:
Dormitories (places to sleep)
A dining hall
A hospital
Laboratories
A fire station
A small store and post office

It also has a nearby airfield on the ice for planes to land. Even though it is in Antarctica, McMurdo has ATMs, a bar, and a coffee shop for the people who live there.

 Climate 
McMurdo Station is very cold. It has an ice cap climate. In the summer, temperatures are around −2 °C (28 °F). In winter, it can be colder than −40 °C (−40 °F). There is no sunlight for several months in the winter.

 Day/night cycles 
McMurdo Station has four main light periods each year:
Two times of 24-hour daylight (midnight sun)
Two times of 24-hour darkness (polar night)

From April to August, there is no sunlight. This is called the polar night. The sun rises again in August and stays in the sky until October, when it sets briefly. After that, there is constant daylight from late October to February. In February, the sun sets again, and the cycle starts over. During the dark months, people at McMurdo can see stars and southern hemisphere constellations. McMurdo is at 77.85° South, which is south of the Antarctic Circle, but not as far south as the South Pole. So, unlike the South Pole (where it’s light for six months and dark for six months), McMurdo has some sunrises and sunsets during the year.

The sunlight changes during the year by this:
September: Sun slowly rises
December: Sun is high in the sky (summer)
March: Sun sets again
August to October: There is a normal day and night pattern
Late October to February: 24-hour daylight
April to August: 24-hour darkness
Category:Antarctica
Category:Research stations in Antarctica