On sunsets & solstices


sunset 13-12
Originally uploaded by Steve_Mc
Though we're approaching the shortest day, I've had a suspicion for a while something wasn't right with our tropical solstice. For I'd noticed that the sunset here is actually at its earliest in mid-November, then it starts to set later!

So I finally did some research that confirmed my theory. Our sunsets do get later from mid-November. Not that our shortest day is in November, it's just that through a quirk of latitude or longitude or something, our day is sort of shifted - so our sunrises are also later until the shortest day - December 21st.

Everything clear now?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Not exactly clear, but I've always found this topic fascinating. I'd like to know more about this "quirk." Sounds might suspicious to me.
3:47 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Out in the village

Image
I spent the afternoon preparing in the house, but on my daily bike ride through the village you could see people were taking Hurricane Dean seriously, boarding up windows. Up at the top of the hill, the gusts of wind hinted at what is to come. The water will be cut at 10pm, and the electricity will be cut around midnight.
Read more

The Rivers

Image
The River Originally uploaded by Steve_Mc It's the rivers that set Dominica apart. When I fly over somewhere like Antigua I feel rather sorry for them: all those beaches but no cool mountain rivers to plunge into when things get too hot. There are parts of Dominica I define by a relative lack of rivers - like that 'barren' drive between Loubiere and Soufriere. Even the drish West Coast around Salisbury - so often left black by bush fires in the dry season - is punctuated by some delicious rivers like the Macoucherie. So when the weather is hot like now I can just look at a photo like this one and feel cooler.
Read more

Hurricane Dean aftermath in Dominica

Image
Hurricane Dean aftermath Originally uploaded by Steve McCabe A quick post because power is still off. Hurricane Dean really took a good whack at us; I took a quick trip into Roseau earlier today and was astonished by what I saw; lots of big trees felled (and lots of people walking around with breadfruit under their arms!), and the evidence that the Roseau river was a raging torrent. At last though the sun is out. All we need now is electricity...!
Read more