Sunrise December 21 2023 (2024)

FAQs

How much daylight do we gain after December 21st? ›

On the first day after the winter solstice, we only gain a few seconds of daylight. But as we get further and further past it, we'll see the daylight hours gradually increase. In one month, we'll see an increase of over a half hour of sunlight, with our sunset on January 21st coming a little bit before 5:00.

In 2024 the winter solstice will occur on Saturday 21 December at 9.21am GMT. The winter solstice occurs in December, and in the Northern Hemisphere the date marks the 24-hour period with the fewest daylight hours of the year. That is why it is known as the shortest day of the year, or the longest night of the year.

In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the December solstice (December 21, December 22, or December 23) and in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice (June 20, June 21, or June 22). Although the winter solstice itself lasts only a moment, the term also refers to the day on which it occurs.

After this, daylight increases to 9 hours, 15 minutes by New Year's Day. By mid-January, the increase jumps to about two minutes a day. By the 20th of February, daylight speeds up to three minutes per day! On the 20th, day length is 10 hours, 53 minutes and on the 21st, it's 10 hours, 56 minutes.

Mid-February the amount of daylight gained per day increases to 3 minutes per day and lasts until late April to early May. By late April to early May the amount of additional daylight per day slows down to around 2 minutes more per day and June up until the summer solstice it increases by one minute per day.

The increase in daylength began slowly immediately after the winter solstice, but ramped up to about two additional minutes of daylight per day by late January. Throughout February, March, and the first half of April 2023, the daylength increased by about two and a half minutes each day.

In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice (20, 21 or 22 June) and in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the December solstice (20, 21, 22 or 23 of December). Since prehistory, the summer solstice has been a significant time of year in many cultures, and has been marked by festivals and rituals.

Being born on the winter solstice is sometimes considered spiritually significant, as it is believed to imbue individuals with unique qualities such as wisdom, intuition, and a connection to ancient traditions. However, this belief varies greatly depending on one's personal spiritual path and worldviews.

The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year, the Summer Solstice marks the longest period of sunlight. Following the Summer Solstice, the days become increasingly shorter, just as the days become longer after the Winter Solstice.

Which country has the longest night in the world? ›

Total Polar Night consumes Svalbard

In Northern Norway, there is normally at least some light even at the winter solstice. On Svalbard, however, there is no light at all. In Longyearbyen there is no daylight from the 11.

On June 21, the summer solstice and longest day of the year for the northern hemisphere, the day length ranges from about 13 hours in Hawaii to 24 hours in northern Alaska. On December 21, the shortest day of the year, the day length ranges from almost 11 hours in Hawaii to 0 hours in Northern Alaska.

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year - in terms of daylight. After the winter solstice we will start seeing more daylight by an average of two minutes and seven seconds every day.

Days are getting longer as Earth spins more slowly and climate change may be to blame. Researchers say emissions from human activity are having a greater impact on our planet than we might realise. Melting ice caps may have a bigger influence on the length of a day than previously thought, new research has found.

Even though the amount of daylight increases following the winter solstice on Dec. 21, the earth continues to lose more heat than it gains due to the "coldness" from spending longer hours in darkness and a lower sun angle during the earlier weeks before winter.

The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year, the Summer Solstice marks the longest period of sunlight. Following the Summer Solstice, the days become increasingly shorter, just as the days become longer after the Winter Solstice.

Every day after the winter solstice will grow longer in the northern hemisphere until its summer solstice, or the longest day of the year, between June 20 and 22.

Through the summer months, the loss of daylight is marginal at first - losing anywhere from just a few seconds per day the first few days of summer, to about 30 seconds per day through early July. As we head into August and September, the loss of daylight accelerates to roughly 2.5 minutes per day!