Winter Solstice...it's lighter but not for that long!

[southcove]

While I was on the phone the other day with one of my two brothers who live in Alaska...I was b*tchin' a bit about not having enough daylight to make the final yard leaf cleanup (way late drop this year)... complaining how it was almost completely dark by 4:30 pm. Running out of daylight!

Ha, says he. Let me tell you (officially) what sunrise is...in Fairbanks the sun rises at 10:58am and sets at 2:41 pm, for a total on Solstice day of 3 hours 43 minutes of daylight. Where my other brother is working up on the Arctic Ocean, the sun set totally around the 23rd of November and won't peak above the horizon until sometime the third week of January. And that is some weak sunlight compared to summertime for sure.

By contrast, NYC area would get over 9 hours of sunrise at this time of year, still it's down over 6 hours from the peak at summer solstice. I guess that old 23.5 Degree planetary tilt is not so bad after all. Better and more time to enjoy the Christmas lights for another week or three.

So, it was a sort of quit your b*tching conversation. Oh well, says I..the darn leaves won't rake themselves, but I won't see them shortly then.

Hats off to folks like Boreal Birch who is living the dream up North and no doubt huddled close to his woodstove these days.

And the folks, like Coldfeet, who like activities related to hard water season, the hot tent good times are just starting.

 

[Alan Gage]

I'm sure they were very sympathetic about you having the rake leaves as opposed to scooping snow and dealing with ice as well.

Knowing that some people have it worse is only of small comfort to me in the dark cold months of winter.

Alan

 

[stripperguy]

Even though I thoroughly enjoy paddling, tripping, hiking and camping when the water is soft...by far my favorite activity is back country skiing. For those that don't know, that's skin up, ski down and for me, on any terrain in any condition. No trails, no tracks, just me and the snow. So I love to see the cold and snow arrive and stay.

But I do also enjoy the longer days of summer, such a quandary.

 

[Canotrouge]

I'm sure they were very sympathetic about you having the rake leaves as opposed to scooping snow and dealing with ice as well.

Knowing that some people have it worse is only of small comfort to me in the dark cold months of winter.

Alan

HAHAHAHAHA Alan, have it worst, I will take the worst any day over the big city/urban/trafic/no access to wilderness easily/crazy people everywhere you go..... It is -29C here this morning and man I love that weather, we have a total of 5 hours of day light(+1hr before and after sunrise sunset) It is 10am right now and you can see outside, but not see the sun lol...

And in the summer, we have the opposite, only about 2-3hrs where it is to dark to read outside.... Really we have it way better than you guys down south, way better!!

 

[yknpdlr]

As a navigator in the U.S. Air Force back in the 1970's, I spent a 45 day deployment over Christmas and New Years in Alaska (Fairbanks area). Landed there the first night with a temperature at -56F. For the entire first 8 days there, the temperature never went above -40F=-40C and we couldn't fly on most of those days because of dense ice fog at ground level. it was during the time the oil pipeline was being constructed. On my many flightless days, several times I suited up and hiked out to the construction zone to see the ongoing operation. It took about 90 minutes to walk that far, and another 90 mins to walk back to base in the fog. Total amount of useable daylight at that season: about 3 hours. During flights to the north over the North Pole and beyond, I never saw any daylight at all.

In contrast, many years later when I returned north to paddle the Yukon River Quest, which is held in the days on or near the summer solstice, it simply does not get dark. Even while we paddle through the "night", lights are not needed, as the sky remains dusky blue, although the sun does dip (very slightly) below the horizon. The Yukon 1000 mile race, although held a few weeks later, requires us to rest camp for 6 hours each "night". Since we are paddling ever farther north, each successive "night" gets notably brighter and brighter during the 6 days for us to complete the race - we actually briefly cross the Arctic Circle for a while.

 

[southcove]

Taking a much needed break from the pre-Christmas activities at my house...walking in a local park...could feel the blood pressure diminishing slowly as I walked; from the too much of everything and too many people who came to enjoy the festivities...ended up talking at length with a guy who was glassing for bald eagles on the CT River, so I spent time with him, each of us sort of trying to top each other's holiday horror stories and managed to lose track of time, missing out on a Top 10 sunset of the year...Christmas Eve and my camera is at least 12 mile away at the other end of the road and I missed being able to capture it.

I love the quality of the light at this time of year, though it's certainly too early yet to notice any difference in the lengthening afternoon light. To combat the early night gloom, I was somewhat prepared with my little 4K lumen flashlight in case any bogeymen sprang out of the dark.

Looked to be too early in the season as well for any eagles to have come down from the north, though with a good strong cold spell predicted for the NE states, it might be happening fairly quick.

Hope everyone's holidays and travels are happy, relaxing and safe!
​

 

[Boreal Birch]

SouthCove..........
We have gotten 6 minutes and 27 seconds more sunshine since the Winter Solstice, 18 hours and 1 minute more to come by the time Summer Solstice rolls around.
I grew up in Northern Minnesota, the winters there are really brutal compared to here. Same kinda extreme cold, but with strong winds, and higher humidity. Not much wind around Fairbanks and real low humidity. Ya, it can get cold, but you can dress for it. The short, dark days are what drives people crazy, I get out every day skiing or walking couple miles or so, most days. On the really cold days I only walk down to get the newspaper and the mail, that 1/2 mile round trip keeps the cabin fever away and makes me think wonderful thoughts about cast iron wood stoves and in floor radiant heat. The low sun angle makes for nice flat light for photographers along with long sunrises and sunsets.
I spent two years in southern climates while in the military, Texas and Mississippi for basic training and Air Traffic Control Tech School and Dong Ha RVN in sunny South East Asia. I really did not like the heat and humidity of those places. I really love the North, always have looked forward to winter.

 

[Mihun09]

We have 8 hours and 7 minutes of daylight here, gained 3 minutes in the afternoon but lost 2 minutes in the morning since the Solstice. Tad chilly to go outside despite the sunshine. -35C (-31F) windchill was warm enough for them to drop the severe cold warning today. Overnight the wind chill is supposed to be -39C which is not enough for another warning. Funny thing is, in Toronto if it is a -30C windchill that is extreme, but in Manitoba it has to be -40C.

 

[sweeper]

The sun comes out from behind Aunt Sophies Peak at 08:50 and disappears behind the ridge at around 2:30

Here's the Solar Log from our panels today

View attachment 51U_Q_fBeQ2txoQifIgXOWbZS_3RFXRhbq9kPQFtwODqI-AiYUyeyuht_15mcgiPdQraChbeBtq_Yangd5BGek_bp0T0S86h_TSJ