Winter Solstice. 21st December

Didn't think it was worthy of a new thread hence the 11 year bump. Think green, recycle old threads! Apparently, the actual moment (didn't realise there was one, to be honest) was at 15:03) this afternoon.

I'm assuming that the site was awash with tofu munching, free trade wine guzzling, sandal wearing (without socks, obviously) tree huggers,sporting their Che Guevara tee shirts and smoking their "roll your own" cancer sticks. As much as it can be these days; roped off to the plebs, isn't it?
 
jimharri said:
Didn't think it was worthy of a new thread hence the 11 year bump. Think green, recycle old threads! Apparently, the actual moment (didn't realise there was one, to be honest) was at 15:03) this afternoon.

I'm assuming that the site was awash with tofu munching, free trade wine guzzling, sandal wearing (without socks, obviously) tree huggers,sporting their Che Guevara tee shirts and smoking their "roll your own" cancer sticks. As much as it can be these days; roped off to the plebs, isn't it?
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explains the plans for 2015!
 
19th December to 24th December are the shortest days of the year with just 7 hours 28 minutes of daylight, from around 8.22am to 3.51pm (with 21st December being the exact shortest by the second).

However, today is neither the earliest Sunset nor the latest Sunrise of the year.

From around 10th December to 16th December, the Sun sets in Manchester at around 3.49pm (with 13th December being the exact earliest by the second).

Then the latest Sunrise of the year starts around 28th December to 1st January, in Manchester that’s 8.25am (with 30th December being the exact earliest by the second).

All this is the reason Christmas (‘Christ’s Mass’) is when it is. With the Romans/Christians setting the date Jesus was mythically born to fit in alongside the long existing Solar festivals around Europe (and the wider world) at this time of year, to make it easier to convert people to Christianity with them not losing their festivities around the Solstice.
 
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lefty goldblatt said:
Shirley every day is 24 hours long

Yours,

Peter Pedant
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You’ve not been pedantic enough there, @lefty goldblatt . The day varies in length between 23 hours and 39 seconds to 24 hours and 30 seconds at different times of the year.

Ironically, the longest day of the year is on 25th December (the day Christmas falls, which, as I said above, is really the celebration of the shortest day of the year by daylight hours).

The day is at its shortest in mid-September.
 
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jimharri said:
Didn't think it was worthy of a new thread hence the 11 year bump. Think green, recycle old threads! Apparently, the actual moment (didn't realise there was one, to be honest) was at 15:03) this afternoon.

I'm assuming that the site was awash with tofu munching, free trade wine guzzling, sandal wearing (without socks, obviously) tree huggers,sporting their Che Guevara tee shirts and smoking their "roll your own" cancer sticks. As much as it can be these days; roped off to the plebs, isn't it?
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More of a day for Scientists and Science enthusiasts than cosplaying fake Druids and lefty neo-pagans who die their hair pink and knit their own jumpers out of old ropes and matted wool.
 
Barcon said:
Couldn't give a shit. Until this snow fucks off I'm staying in.
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That’s what the celebrations are about at this time of year: as we move past the shortest days and coldest times of the year, the days get longer, the Sun gets stronger and the weather gets warmer.

The Sun is on its way back!
 
Was doing my run round Dovestones this morning. I had to start early, so was just finishing my run at around 8am.
As i came round the last corner, I was met by a large bunch of weirdos marching with flags drums and torches!

Interestingly, today is the first official day of winter. Unlike the meteorological date which was the 1st December.
Either way, i love the fact that the dark nights are over, and spring is on the horizon...
 
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.db. said:
That’s what the celebrations are about at this time of year: as we move past the shortest days and coldest times of the year, the days get longer, the Sun gets stronger and the weather gets warmer.

The Sun is on its way back!
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d7a4ba4245be2a2bbecd05dc64192331.gif
 
BlueBearBoots said:
Although sunrise will continue to be later for a few weeks sunset will will be later in greater amounts so yes the days get longer


Anyone for a dance naked at the henge? Or any field I'm not fussy ;)
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I had a discussion with a work colleague many years ago about the longest day. I was saying it could be between, as far as I can remember, the 19th and the 24th of June. He was saying it was always the 21st of June. I'd read about it in a science journal some time before. Anyway, he phoned up the Met Office and spoke to someone who confirmed that what I had been saying was correct.

Assuming the same differential exists in winter, it's not strictly true the solstice will always fall on the 21st December, but as it happens, yesterday was, as I understand it, the longest night this year.
 
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Interestingly, the sunset started getting later about a week BEFORE the solstice, which means it was still darker longer in the morning for a few days in Chicago!
 
I just walked back to my house from my work shop ( drinking den) and almost walked right into a very big Mule deer buck who was hanging out in the backyard. We did a short Mexican stare off at 8’ then just walked off in different directions
 
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