Winter Solstice

Yesterday, December 21, was the Winter Solstice.

This shortest day of the year is a time for Celebration!  For the next six months every day will be longer.  Well, to be more accurate the amount of daylight will be longer.  Each day will continue to be 24 hours long.

The culmination of this process will be on June 21, the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year.  From then on we'll head for the darkness.  But that's six months away.  No point in dwelling on the dark side.

Interestingly, the difference between sunrise and sunset is not the same every day.  For example, from Dec. 22 to March 21 sunrise is earlier a total of 71 minutes.  But sunset is later a total of 88 minutes.  Over time it evens out, but month to month and season to season they are not the same.

Why is it this way?  I have no idea.  Nor does it really matter.  There will be more light in both the morning and evening from now on.  Hooray!