South pole rescue

http://www.nature.com/news/daring-an...h-pole-1.20135

When the rescue was made there was almost daylight conditions at the South pole insofar as there was also a rare full moon on the June Solstice and although greatly diminished, the light of the moon still affects conditions presently -

http://www.usap.gov/videoclipsandmaps/spwebcam.cfm

Someone thanked me for explaining that if daily rotation is subtracted that the entire surface of the planet turns once as a function of its orbital motion so that the North and South poles act as windows into that surface rotation and responsible for the single polar day/night cycle.

The South pole rescue was not as dramatic as some would have it due to astronomical conditions present .