A summer evening at the South Pole

A few minutes ago I was sitting in my study at home looking out of the window onto a cold dark winter's night in Scotland and wondering (as you do!) what it was like at the South Pole. Nowadays you don't need to wonder - a click or two of a mouse and you can link to a webcam and find out.

So here what it's like at the South Pole this evening - a screen shot taken from the webcam just before 8pm their time and ours.

As you can see, it's a sunny evening. In fact, at this time of the year it is almost midsummer at the South Pole and the scientists working in the buildings on the horizon will be about to enter the 46 day period in the year when the sun doesn't set.

If you'd like to keep your eye on conditions at the South Pole and perhaps even catch a glimpse of those scientists at work, you can link in to the webcam by clicking on the image above.

Meanwhile it is just mid morning on the 22nd on the South Pacific island of Tahaa...

or just after lunchtime at the Grand Canyon..

You can keep up with these webcams and view many others by clicking on Tahaa or the Grand Canyon.

I still find it amazing that I can beam real-time images straight into my study. When I was the age that most of you who are reading this blog will be, real-time was an atlas and my imagination!

And here, three hours later, I'm adding another screen shot from the South Pole. The time is 23.30, the sun's still up and there's a scientist out for a walk!