The shortest day

Today 21 June is the shortest day of the year and from now on days will become longer. However, that does not mean that the Sun rises earlier from now on. In fact, over the next week it will rise up to a minute later. The reason is the equation of time. This describes how much earlier or later the Sun is due north each day. In June the Sun reaches due north (“transits”) a little later each day. This effect of shifting the middle of the day is stronger for the next week than the effect of the days getting longer.

12 responses to “The shortest day”

The longest day in Sydney in 2008 is Sunday 21 December.

When is the longest day in Sydney?

VERY happy to have the last ‘short’ day over. Agree with above comment of ‘looking forward to summer’.
I believe that daylight also affects people… You can’t be happy with seeing sunsine now and then. : )

I am not sure how many hours but if Johnny Howard finds out that we are all going home early I hope we don’t get our pay docked

I love the shortest day too as Ill be working a shorter day , so how may hours is today 22 hours -23 hours ?

I love the shortest day as it is the turning point in the year and means that Summer is back on the way!

Hello Alan. Don’t be confused. If you look at the date on the article/post above it says 21 June 2006! That is it was written a year ago. For a discussion of the shortest day in 2007 see http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/blog/?p=473.

Is anyone else confused by the above messages? The article says today, 21 June is the shortest day, then reply to David says it’s tomorrow, June 22. What the…?

wow ill sleep better know this useless trivia

David, in 2007 it will be this Friday 22 June. At 4:06 am Australian Eastern Standard Time the Sun will be at its most northerly position for the year.