Skip to content
Vatican Observatory
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • FAQs
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • FAQs
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • FAQs
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • FAQs

The Solstice and the Daylight in Charleston and Santiago: Part I — Early December

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  3 Dec 2016

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series The Solstice and the Daylight in Charleston and Santiago

You probably know about the December 21 solstice—it is the “winter solstice” in the northern hemisphere, and the “summer solstice” in the southern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere the December 21 solstice is the shortest day of the year; in the southern hemisphere it is the longest day. But you may not know about certain curious things that take place around the December solstice.

One of those things is that, while in the northern hemisphere the solstice is indeed the shortest day of the year, early December marks the “darkest evening” of the year. That’s right, the earliest sunset occurs right when this blog post appeared: about December 4. After that date the sun starts setting later each night. Indeed, as the graph below shows, by the time of the solstice there will be several minutes more daylight in the evening than there are right now in early December. (All data in these posts are based on sunrise and sunset times provided by the U.S. Naval Observatory.)

Plot of sunset time (from the U.S. Naval Observatory) vs. date for Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Note that a plot like this will differ for different northern hemisphere cities depending on their latitudes, but the general plot characteristics will be the same. Plot of sunset time (from the U.S. Naval Observatory) vs. date for Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Note that a plot like this will differ for different northern hemisphere cities depending on their latitudes, but the general plot characteristics will be the same.

Likewise, in the southern hemisphere the solstice is indeed the longest day of the year, but the brightest morning of the year is in early December. By the time the solstice arrives there will be several minutes less of morning daylight than there are right now.

Plot of sunrise time (from the U.S. Naval Observatory) vs. date for Santiago, Chile. Note that a plot like this will differ for different southern hemisphere cities depending on their latitudes, but the general plot characteristics will be the same. Plot of sunrise time (from the U.S. Naval Observatory) vs. date for Santiago, Chile. Note that a plot like this will differ for different southern hemisphere cities depending on their latitudes, but the general plot characteristics will be the same.

We will get to the explanation for all this in a future post. For now, just observe it. See for yourself that it is true. Keep your eye on the sunset (if you dwell in the northern hemisphere) or on the sunrise (if you dwell in the southern hemisphere). Watch the evening brighten, northerners, even as the shortest day approaches. Watch the morning darken, southerners, even as the longest day approaches. The universe holds surprises for those who are attentive to it.

Stay tuned for more on the solstice in a future post!

 

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Sacred Space Astronomy

The Vatican Observatory’s official digital community and online magazine.

Become a Member

Recent Posts

Treasures from the Vatican Observatory Library: An Old & Artsy Science Book

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  18 Aug 2022

Forgery in Science History (forging Galileo, and forging the Catholic Church condemning science!)

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  17 Aug 2022

Ideal-Gas Pycnometer for OSIRIS-REx

By Br. Robert Macke  |  17 Aug 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

From the V.O. Faith and Science Pages (Younger Readers): Johannes Kepler: Discovering the Laws of Celestial Motion

By Faith and Science  |  17 Aug 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Archives

      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • August
      • June
      • March
      • January
      • November
      • October
      • December
      • November
      • April
      • May
      • January
      • December
      • September
      • May
      • March
      • December
      • November
      • February

More Posts in this Series:
"The Solstice and the Daylight in Charleston and Santiago"

78  |  What Do We Lose When We Sacrifice Science?

By Br. Guy Consolmagno  |  27 May 2021  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

69  |  To err is human… to admit it, is science

By Br. Guy Consolmagno  |  25 Mar 2021  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

2  |  The Solstice and the Daylight in Charleston and Santiago: Part IV — Early January

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  7 Jan 2017

4  |  The Solstice and the Daylight in Charleston and Santiago: Part II — The December Solstice

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  21 Dec 2016

Newsletter

Upcoming astronomical events, scientific breakthroughs, philosophical reflections… just a few reasons to subscribe to our newsletter!

  • *
Vatican Observatory
  • About
  • Telescopes
  • Latest
  • Podcast
  • Education
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
Privacy Policy  |   Cookie Policy  |   Disclosure Statement

Podcast:

  • Apple Podcasts Listen onApple Podcasts
  • Spotify Listen onSpotify
  • Google Podcasts Listen onGoogle Podcasts
  • Stitcher Listen onStitcher
  • Amazon Alexa Listen onAmazon Alexa
  • TuneIn Listen onTuneIn
Made by Longbeard