the darkest month

If you live north of the equator, you’ve likely lately noticed sunset coming around again all too soon. We are in the darkest “month” of the year: the fifteen days on both sides of December 21st, the winter solstice. On that darkest day, we here smack dab on the 50th Parallel North will have eight hours and four minutes of daylight. If you’re near the 26th Parallel North, as Brownsville, Texas, and Miami, Florida, tend to be, you will get about 10.5 hours. If you live in between — say, Arcata, California — you’ll get a little under 9.5 hours of the bright stuff.

It evens up a bit. On the longest day of the year, June 20th, we will get 16+ hours of daylight, while Brownsville/Miami will get 13 or so, and Arcata will get about 15. Having spent most of my life rattling between the 32nd and 39th north Parallels, I still notice the pronounced solar schedule. June through early July, there are still streaks of light in the sky when Jude and I come in for the night.

Only twelve more days until the Return of the Light.