Week 27 at the Pole

aurora
NSF/F. Pedreros

Which to marvel at more—the dark, star-studded sky or the fantastic aurora shimmering up from all along the horizon? Being able to step outside and regularly witness these amazing light shows is definitely one of the perks of winterovering at the South Pole station. But it’s not all roses—there are some “non-perks,” too, like dish pit duty. Well, maybe it doesn’t look so bad sped up (this time-lapse video covers a seven-hour shift).