THE SHORTEST DAY

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4469, 24 June 1930, Page 2

THE SHORTEST DAY

WHEN IS MID-WIN TEE? Last Saturday, June, 21st., was officially designated in southern latitude almanacs as the shortest day. (For six months thereafter the sun, in its apparent movements relative to the earth will take a more •southerly coarse, and each day at noon will climb higher into the sky. For several days the actual leugth of daylight remains the same. Bnfc each afternoon from then on for the next six months the sun will set later and later. In the mornings, however, the suit will not he rising any earlier than it does at present, until fit.h July; in fact, for several days it rises a little later. But the daily later setting counterbalances this. It is interesting to note that, in London on the shortest day, which naturally occurs when New Zealand is enjoying the longest- day, the sun rises about S a.m. and sets just before 4 p.m. This gives a trifle less than eight hours of daylight on the shortest day compared with our nine hours or more.

It is not correct to look upon the shortest day as mid-winter. Generally speaking, in these latitudes more winter weather is experienced after the shortest day than before it, lienee the latter day and midwincr cannot- be said to coincide. Opinions differ and seasons vary, hut if the year is to he divided into four seasons of three months each it seems most inueeurdanee with the usual ran of weather to allot June. July, and August to winter; September, October, and November to spring; December, January amt February to summer; and March, April and May to autumn. But no hard and fast ru\e can be laid down on this subject. In latter years it would certainly seem as if the seasons are lending to get later and later. For instance, it is seldom now that summer makes a good start before the Now Year. The recent summer hardly started before February.

Mid-winter it would seem, is roughly towards the end of July. Although it will be some weeks, of course, before there is much appreciable lengthening of the days, when the shortest day is behind us there is always consolation in the fact that the days are getting longer and (he sun is gaining* in strength, no matter how had the winter weather ahead may he.