The Longest Night--Earliest Sunset--Santa Lucia

[signal_line]

At least for this year, today December 9 is the earliest sunset of the year. Santa Lucia day is Dec 13 considered in some cultures to be the longest night of the year. But I think they changed the day--I think it was a couple days earlier. Anyway, I did a look on sunset times and indeed today is the earliest sunset so I can see how some would think tonight (or Santa Lucia day) is the longest night. Today's sunset is two seconds earlier than yesterday, and tomorrow's sunset is one second later than today.

 

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[signal_line]

Here's a link because i don't think most people believe this. Of course sunrise is later, too.

December 8 sunset 4:29:35
December 9 earliest sunset 4:29:33
December 10 sunset 4:29:34
December 11 sunset 4:29:38

https://sunrise-sunset.org/us/billings-mt

 

[creskol]

Interesting! That video is beautiful .. Thanks!

 

[signal_line]

Yeah, wish i was there right now.

I was reading about Santa Lucia day and it's a bit confusing because they used a different calendar, but at one time it was on Dec. 9.

Of course sunrise is later so the length of day is still getting shorter until December 22. Then the days start to get longer but sunrise still gets later for a few more days. So the latest sunrise is near Jan 1. By then sunset is about ten or fifteen minutes later.