THE "SHORTEST" DAY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 56, 27 June 1914, Page 4

THE "SHORTEST" DAY.

A correspondent desiring to have an argument settled as to which are the "shortest" and the "longest" days in the year, the "Lyttelton Times" answers the queries as follows: There is considerlar misconception on this point, which frequently leads to mild disputation. Many people believe that June 21 is the "shortest" day, or the day on which the sun makes its briefest appearance, and that December 21 is the longest, while others maintain that the 22nd day of those months marks the turning point. The shortest days of this winter were June 19, 20, 23 and 24. On the two first named dates the sun ros» at 7.36 a.m. and set at 4.26 p.m. The same time of rising was observed on the 21st. and 22nd, but the time of •settling was delayed one minute. On June 23rd the sun rose at 7.37 and will observe that late hour until the end of the month. The time of setting on the 23rd was 4.27, and was the same on the day following. One minute longer will the sun remain for the next three days, after which there will be a gradual lengthening of daylight hours until by this time next month we shall have gained fiftytthree minutes. There is thus really no "shortest day," June 19 and 20 and, June 23 and 24 being equally tho shortest in the year. In the summer time the sun rises earliest on December 8,9, 10, namely, at 4.15 a.m., and sets latest on December 30 and 31—at 7.42 p.m. From December 18 to 25, inclusive, are the days having the maximum of daylight, on each of which days the length of time between the sun's rising and setting, is the same. .The days begin to shorten in this part of the world on December 26.