New Zealand Local Weather Forum

Climate and Science => Climatology and Environment => Topic started by: Derek on June 20, 2012, 08:47:27 AM

Title: Shortest Day and Winter Solstice 2012
Post by: Derek on June 20, 2012, 08:47:27 AM
According to websites I've been looking at, this years winter solstice occurs, 20th June at actual time 23.09 (11.09 pm) (edit UTC)

The shortest day, however, is still apparently tomorrow 21st June - this site gives it as being 1 second shorter than today's daylength.

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=22

Edit: Appears the sites I was first looking at had been giving the time in UTC, this means the Solstice and shortest day are tomorrow, so solstice is 11.09 am, 21st June
Title: Re: Shortest Day and Winter Solstice 2012
Post by: Rwood on June 20, 2012, 08:54:26 AM
Ah yes - that is the one I use, had just forgotten that it had day lengths at that precision. Would be even nicer if the solar noon, sunrise and sunset had the same precision (can then see turning points for solar day length as related to equation of time, when the latest sunrise, earliest sunset etc. occur)
Title: Re: Shortest Day and Winter Solstice 2012
Post by: Derek on June 20, 2012, 09:01:29 AM
I've just spotted that the time I gave originally is UTC, so that puts the solstice on 21st June, here so it is tomorrow at 11.09 am - I've edited the first post to add this...
Title: Re: Shortest Day and Winter Solstice 2012
Post by: JennyLeez on June 20, 2012, 09:17:40 AM
Just as well I dont get up early I may have run off and change our calendar :)

Does this mean Te Puke's Birthday will be shorter also :)

(note to jenny, find nice cake for Te Puke)
Title: Re: Shortest Day and Winter Solstice 2012
Post by: Te Puke Weather on June 20, 2012, 12:46:42 PM
mmm cake hehe...  :D