Dark Mornings

[fusilier]

Is it me or do other peoplee notice that while December the 21 st is the shortest day, it seems ages before there is any noticeable lighter mornings, in fact it seems to get darker after the 21st untill the middle of Janary or even later..Why is this or am I just imaging it.

[Buenchico]

It isn't any darker in the mornings from 21st December onwards but it isn't much lighter either.

In London, the sun rose at 0804 and set at 1554 on 21st Dec.
By today, the time of sunrise was only 1 minute later (0805) but sunset was 14 minutes later.

Sunrise won't be before 0800 until the 16th Jan (0759) but, by then the time of sunset will have moved on to 1622.

All the times are available here:
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.html
(Instructions: Use Form B. The coordinates for London are 51 degrees 30 minutes north, 0 degrees 10 minutes west. Time zone = 0 hours. If you want accurate figures for your own locality, just put the name of your city/town/village into the search box at www.multimap.com).

Chris

[fusilier]

Thank you Chris, your explanation was very informative.

I think that it is just in the mind that it appers daker and depressing.

Happy New Yera

[kags]

the winter solstice is the point at which the earth's axis is tilted furthest away from the sun, and on that day there is the shortest period of daylight. A couple of weeks afterwards, the earth reaches its closest point to the sun in its orbit - and that is what (in very simple terms) causes the times of sunrise to start getting later.

[trotsky]

stay in bed till lunch time the problem should go away : )

[boobesque]

i was shocked yesterday at how dark it was when my son was picked up for school! its been awful when the alarm goes off it stil feels like the middle of the night!

[Gef]

I think you will find the correct explanation here http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.20512

[fusilier]

Thank you Gef,

I am afraid to say it is very complicated to understand the reasons but I think I must be a bit thick. Thank you for your help anyway

[Gef]

Your'e welcome fusilier. I posted the link because it was easier than to try and explain it in my own words. I think kags was basically saying the same thing.