Happy Winter/Summer solstice!

[GordMay]

Happy Winter ↔ Summer solstice!
Today brings the winter solstice, for those in the northern hemisphere, and the summer solstice, for those in the southern hemisphere [the shortest & longest day of the year].
The exact moment of the solstice is 3.27am GMT [Zulu] on 22 December
Dec 21, 2023, 10:27 PM, Eastern Time Dec 22, 2023, 2:27 PM, Eastern Australia Time

[CrispyCringle]

YEEEEEZZZZZZZ! I love winter solstice a lot more than Xmas. Around 19:42 PST this evening I will be toasting to longer days again.

[Mirage35]

I'm not sure the days are going to start getting longer yet - I haven't noticed it.

In the past we have always thrown a party around this time of year at which we sacrifice a bird and a couple of bottles of wine to the local deities, and then things start to improve. I'm pretty sure it's the party that does it, it's scheduled for Sunday, and after that we're on our way.

It could be worse - just chatted with the relatives in Yellowknife ...

[SomeGuyInaShirt]

Cheers to more daylight!

[CrispyCringle]

Originally Posted by Mirage35

I'm not sure the days are going to start getting longer yet - I haven't noticed it. ...

There’s a reason for that….

[djousset]

145 days til boat work season! But who's counting.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Mirage35

I'm not sure the days are going to start getting longer yet - I haven't noticed it ...
... It could be worse - just chatted with the relatives in Yellowknife

There is, essentially, no appreciable change, in length of day, from one day to the next, at the time of the solstices.
There is more change at the equinoxes. At those times, the day-to-day changes can be a few minutes.
Also, the length of a day changes far more, during the year, at higher latitudes, than at lower latitudes. At the poles, the daytime length varies from 0 to 24 hours, while at the tropics the daytime length varies little.

More ➥ https://public.nrao.edu/ask/why-does...the-solstices/

Over the past few decades, Earth’s rotation around its axis, which determines how long a day is, has been speeding up [thus, occasional ‘leap-seconds’]. This trend has been making our days shorter. In fact, on June 29, 2022, we set a record for the shortest day, over the past half a century, or so. Earth completed one spin in 1.59 milliseconds less than 24 hours.
Despite Earth reaching its shortest day on June 29 2022, the long-term trajectory seems to have shifted, from shortening, to lengthening, since 2020. This change is unprecedented over the past 50 years. Earth’s days are getting longer again, and the reason is, so far, a mystery.

How Long Is Today?
➥ https://www.timeanddate.com/time/earth-rotation.html

[Mirage35]

I know my humour is too subtle but it was a joke, guys.

[GordMay]

I struggled with winter, until I bought a snow blower.
It has made my life a thousand times easier.
I load it on the bow of my boat, and sail south, until someone says: "What the heck is that?", and that, is where I spend the winter.

Here’s another good winter tip: Never catch snowflakes, on your tongue, until all the birds have flown south, for the winter.