As we approach the December solstice on the 21st at 8:28 AM (http://earthsky.org/earth/everything-you-need-to-know-december-solstice) it might be good to know that the coming season is the shortest of the four! (http://earthsky.org/tonight/years-shortest-season-starts-with-december-solstice) due to the the earth being closer and moving faster than in summer. Our spring and summer are a few days longer than our fall and winter!
Another strange seasonal fact is that sunsets are slightly longer at the solstices than at the equinoxes (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/longest-sunsets-around-solstices) due to the angle of the sun's path to the horizon. At our latitude the sun will take more than 4 minutes to set at the winter solstice. Where I have been for the past few weeks the sun has been setting in just over 2 minutes!
We had the earliest sunset a week or so ago and we will have the latest sunrise in early January about when we all return to school.
The shortest day in Victoria is still the 21st at 8 hours 18 minutes and 36 seconds! (almost 8 hours less than in June!) (https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/canada/Victoria)
Today's new moon is the beginning of the longest month (time from new moon to the next new moon) of the 21st century! (http://earthsky.org/tonight/longest-lunar-month-of-21st-century) due to the distances of the moon and sun from the earth.
Have a wonderful holiday season! Make the best of those brief daylight hours!
:)
Let me know if you have any questions, or would like more information.
These tips are now being archived at the following location in a blog format: http://smustechtips.blogspot.ca<http://smustechtips.blogspot.ca/>
You can see a list of all the tips here: http://smustechtips.blogspot.ca/p/toc11.html
Also, please let me know if you have any tips you would like to share!
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Mike Jackson, Science Teacher
Senior School Technology Coordinator
St Michaels University School, Victoria, BC
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