Sunset is getting later

[Deb London]

I noticed that the sunset tonight where I live was a few seconds later than yesterday. So from now on our evenings will be getting lighter and lighter.

The longest night/shortest day isn't for a couple of days, and sunrise is still getting later and will be for a few days more.

But any reason to celebrate. Yeah!

[shenk1]

Of course its a reason to celebrate - its my birthday on the 21st

If anyone has any gifts (mainly money please) PM me and I'll pass on my address

Thanks in advance (I'll spend it wisely)

shenk1

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by shenk1

Of course its a reason to celebrate - its my birthday on the 21st

If anyone has any gifts (mainly money please) PM me and I'll pass on my address

Thanks in advance (I'll spend it wisely)

shenk1

Ha, ha, you'll get no money out of me , but will raise a glass in your honour, in advance.

[shenk1]

Good enough


Still theres another 40000+ other members so I live in hope - say a couple of quid each - you wouldn't miss it!

[Tringa]

A couple of sites I have looked at -

The, IMO the excellent, Heavens Above and The Photographer's Ephemeris

- say that today is the shortest day.

It surprised me a bit, not because the shortest day is not the 21st but because there are usually, in my experience, a few days around the solstice that have the same day length. However, it seems this year there is one day, today, which is the shortest.

Is this correct?

If so, then we are on the way up.

Dave

[CapAndBracket]

Originally Posted by Tringa

A couple of sites I have looked at -

The, IMO the excellent, Heavens Above and The Photographer's Ephemeris

- say that today is the shortest day.

It surprised me a bit, not because the shortest day is not the 21st but because there are usually, in my experience, a few days around the solstice that have the same day length. However, it seems this year there is one day, today, which is the shortest.

Is this correct?

If so, then we are on the way up.

Dave

From my understanding the 21st is the shortest day this year, the sun will be at it's most southerly from us at 23:38 on that day. The time does change each year as our earth rotation and orbit of the sun aren't quite in tune. Next year the 22nd will be the shortest day but the following February we will have a leap year extra day to correct the anomoly for another four years. I seem to recall that even this isn't perfect and in 400 years time we will need a double leap year.
Cheers J.P.

[Tringa]

Had another look at the Heavens Above site and I now see that my first posting was incorrect. Yesterday was not the shortest day, just one of four days with the same day length.

For my latitude the 19th, 21st, 23rd and 25th all have day lengths of 7h 49m.

The days in between are 7h 50m. From the 26th the day length ceases to oscillate and just gets gradually longer.

However, I assume there is some rounding in the Heavens Above figures, so the more accurate picture could be a little different.

I'll be celebrating the solstice in the usual way. For a few years now a few of us from work have used the solstices and equinoxes as an excuse to go for a huge fry up breakfast.

Dave

[nytecam]

Winter solstice is when the sun is at its lowest [negative] declination on the ecliptic usually on the 21 Dec with the shortest day about that date. Sunrise/sunset times are no good for defining the winter solstice date due to the equation of time as a Google search will explain

[Deb London]

Thanks for the name of this nytecam - the 'equation of time' - sounds exotic, like a chapter in the game 'Zelda' (a Google search might be needed for some).

Anyway, just had a look at my 'times table' and it's not until the 5th Jan 2011 that the sunrise is so much earlier that it registers as 1 min (8:06 to 8:05). On that date I can finally celebrate the days getting longer at both ends.

Does anyone know of anywhere that has sunrise in seconds, as I'd like to mentally bring this date earlier, if this makes sense?