Pictures: The North Pole

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The North Pole, once an almost mythical place visited only by the heartiest of explorers (and Santa Claus) is now a tourist destination. Though certainly not for everyone, those arctic lovers who are inclined can visit the North Pole by ship, helicopter, or submarine. The textbook definition of the North Pole is the point in the middle of the Arctic Ocean where the Earth’s axis of rotation meets the Earth’s surface. The North Pole is, of course, incredibly cold, though it is significantly warmer than the South Pole. Winter temperatures range from −43 °C (−45 °F) to −26 °C (−15 °F), and Summer temperatures average around the freezing point (0 °C, 32 °F). Tours to the North Pole can be found on a variety of specialty tour company websites.