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The changing daylight hours thread


Boydie

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Posted
  • Location: Crystal Palace, South London (300 feet asl)
  • Location: Crystal Palace, South London (300 feet asl)

I was just thinking how despite it being overcast there is just a tad more light after 4 pm - and already (in London) sunset is nine minutes later than in the run-up to the solstice. It feels so welcome after this year.

  

cityog.php?title=Sunrise%20and%20Sunset%
WWW.TIMEANDDATE.COM

Calculations of sunrise and sunset in London – England – United Kingdom for December 2020. Generic astronomy calculator to calculate times for sunrise...

 

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Posted
  • Location: Manchester
  • Location: Manchester

Sun finally sets the right side of 4pm here today.

While it is only 11 minutes later than the darkest evening it is actually the equivalent of 23 November and the change does start to gradually accelerate now.

Mornings have turned as well now. It is still a drag and it really makes a difference to how dark it feels if it is cloudy or not through January and February. But from next week we will be gaining 2+ minutes of light per day and the change does start to become more noticeable by the end of January.

Still a few months before I can take the lights off my bike for cycling to/from work though

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Posted
  • Location: Cambridge, UK
  • Weather Preferences: Summer > Spring > Winter > Autumn :-)
  • Location: Cambridge, UK
On 21/12/2020 at 18:52, Zak M said:

We made it!

My mood will gradually start to lift from now on..

Soon come around! Doesn’t seem 5 minutes since the gloom of autumn. The only way is up for the next 6 months. A bit of proper cold and winter can do one thank you!

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Posted
  • Location: halifax 125m
  • Weather Preferences: extremes the unusual and interesting facts
  • Location: halifax 125m

We have gained 14 minutes on an evening sunset  since the turn on December 13th,starting to notice it now!

Edited by hillbilly
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Posted
  • Location: Bedfordshire
  • Weather Preferences: Thunderstorms, plumes, snow, severe weather
  • Location: Bedfordshire

First time I noticed a difference this evening!

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Posted
  • Location: Woodchurch, Kent.
  • Weather Preferences: Storm, drizzle
  • Location: Woodchurch, Kent.
13 minutes ago, Zak M said:

First time I noticed a difference this evening!

Went outside to play football 5 minutes ago could hardly see but much lighter than now. 

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Posted
  • Location: Cambridge, UK
  • Weather Preferences: Summer > Spring > Winter > Autumn :-)
  • Location: Cambridge, UK
20 hours ago, Zak M said:

First time I noticed a difference this evening!

Sunset now back past 4pm, and sunrise starting to turn back before 8am. All good  

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Posted
  • Location: North Leeds
  • Location: North Leeds

Today is the first time I have noticed a difference tonight with it being so clear. Looking forward to spring more than ever before this year (for obvious reasons!) 

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Posted
  • Location: Manchester
  • Location: Manchester

Gained nearly half an hour here since the darkest day, mostly in the evenings.

Gaining nearly 2 1/2 minutes per day now which continues to accelerate through January and February. Does start to become more and more noticeable especially on clear days like today.

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Posted
  • Location: Thorley, west Isle of Wight
  • Weather Preferences: Spanish plumes & stormy winters. Facebook @ Lance's Lightning Shots
  • Location: Thorley, west Isle of Wight

Just hints around midday the last couple days that the sun is lifting a little higher in the sky, it has seemed brighter between 11am and 2pm, even with the overcast skies today.

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Posted
  • Location: Manchester
  • Location: Manchester

Felt noticeably lighter this evening, things do start to pick up quickly through the end of January and February.

The frustrating thing though with the way the clocks go forward/backwards is that by the end of this week on the 30th/31st we will be at the equivalent sunset time (16:48/16:50) to the first evening after the clocks went back on 25 October (16:49) . Yet because we have to wait for the last weekend of March for the clocks to go back forward we don't get parity with the last evening before the clocks back (17:51) until 3/4 March (17:50/17:52). If they moved the clocks forward at the end of January then we would already have the same sunset times as the end of October before the clocks went back but instead we have to wait another 4-5 weeks to catch up in the evenings!

I know mornings take longer to get lighter again but I really think that it should be more balanced around the Autumn/Spring equinoxes. By the time the clocks go forward sunset is already ridiculously early (5:54 here).

Sorry didn't mean to start the annual clocks changing debate but I guess someone has to do it.

 

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Posted
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl

Yes starting to notice more notable light in the afternoons now, today it was still fairly light up until 5pm despite rather cloudy overcast skies. Mornings though oh dear, they are only painfully getting lighter, such a long lag, and it is very difficult waking up early in January when it is so dark.

Another 3 or 4 weeks and we do start to see a notable shift in the mornings.

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Posted
  • Location: St Neots, previously Billericay & Brentwood
  • Weather Preferences: Thunder, snow, gales, all extreme weather really!
  • Location: St Neots, previously Billericay & Brentwood

Today seems to be the day, definitely noticed the extra light this evening, albeit marginal.  Mid to end of Feb is when it normally starts to really notice but was uplifting today to see the difference.  Strange how preferences change over a lifetime, I used to love the seasons and the difference in light over the year - darkness was 'cosy', well not anymore, I can't bear the lack of light since about that age of 30, conversely I can't stand sunshine at 4am!! Late Spring & early Autumn sunrise/sets are the best times imo.

Edited by James1979
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Posted
  • Location: Bedfordshire
  • Weather Preferences: Thunderstorms, plumes, snow, severe weather
  • Location: Bedfordshire

Starting to get light at 5pm now!!

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Posted
  • Location: Horsham
  • Weather Preferences: Anything non-disruptive, and some variety
  • Location: Horsham
On 23/01/2021 at 19:27, ManiaMuse said:

Felt noticeably lighter this evening, things do start to pick up quickly through the end of January and February.

The frustrating thing though with the way the clocks go forward/backwards is that by the end of this week on the 30th/31st we will be at the equivalent sunset time (16:48/16:50) to the first evening after the clocks went back on 25 October (16:49) . Yet because we have to wait for the last weekend of March for the clocks to go back forward we don't get parity with the last evening before the clocks back (17:51) until 3/4 March (17:50/17:52). If they moved the clocks forward at the end of January then we would already have the same sunset times as the end of October before the clocks went back but instead we have to wait another 4-5 weeks to catch up in the evenings!

I know mornings take longer to get lighter again but I really think that it should be more balanced around the Autumn/Spring equinoxes. By the time the clocks go forward sunset is already ridiculously early (5:54 here).

Sorry didn't mean to start the annual clocks changing debate but I guess someone has to do it.

 

I think it is done because the weather in October is milder than in February and March, so more likely to be able to make use of lighter evenings. If I had the choice I'd like the clocks to go forward at the end of February, which would reduce the number of dark commutes home from work without making the sunrise excessively late in the morning, it would be symmetrical about the winter solstice so the sunrise and sunset time would change back to the equivalent at the end of October.

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Posted
  • Location: North York Moors
  • Location: North York Moors

Also it's not just evenings, due to axial tilt change in sunrise time lags quite a lot, if the clocks went forward about now here for example sunrise would be 9am it was bad enough at 8.25am between Christmas and New Year.
I do think it would be better changed about 1st March though.
We are now into peak daylength gain though with 2 minute extra both ends it stacks up rapidly every week, and you really notice it if there's been a few overcast gloomy days then suddenly some clear skies. 

Edited by 4wd
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Posted
  • Location: Manchester
  • Location: Manchester
11 hours ago, al78 said:

I think it is done because the weather in October is milder than in February and March, so more likely to be able to make use of lighter evenings. If I had the choice I'd like the clocks to go forward at the end of February, which would reduce the number of dark commutes home from work without making the sunrise excessively late in the morning, it would be symmetrical about the winter solstice so the sunrise and sunset time would change back to the equivalent at the end of October.

I know what you are saying and would agree. The clocks just really go forward the last weekend of February or first weekend of March. Would be much more balanced. I would be cycling to/from work in proper daylight both ways by then rather than having to wait until the end of March.

Also wastes a lot of potential daylight  hours during those weeks in March when it it is already dawn by 5am for the majority of the population who work during the daytime.

 

 

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Posted
  • Location: Andover, Hampshire
  • Location: Andover, Hampshire

It’s really noticeable now even on a cloudy horrible wet day like today.

Really looking forward to that first still evening above like 12 degrees when you can smell all the plants starting to come to life.

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Posted
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl
  • Location: Windermere 120m asl

Noticing extra gain of light in the late afternoon notably now, especially when it is sunny and clear. Curtains drawn around 5.15pm. Cloudy and overcast afternoons still make for early descents into dusk, but within a couple of weeks, even such days result in light levels holding good until at least 5pm. 

It is in late February when we really start to notice difference, light until 6pm and after when sunny and clear. 6pm is the key threshold, until then it still feels very much winter. 

 

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Posted
  • Location: Cheddington, Buckinghamshire
  • Weather Preferences: Winter: Cold & Snowy, Summer: Just not hot
  • Location: Cheddington, Buckinghamshire

Was pretty much light when I got to work at half 7 this morning. Thank goodness we're not on BST through winter. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
  • Location: Cambridge, UK
  • Weather Preferences: Summer > Spring > Winter > Autumn :-)
  • Location: Cambridge, UK

Nearly out of the dog days of winter. Sunset beyond 5pm....I write this at 520pm and it’s not fully dark. Must mean spring is here in under 3 weeks!

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