When Will Days Start Getting Longer? The Spring Equinox Explained

The days started getting longer after December 22, 2023. You’ll start to notice the extra daylight by the middle of January. We continue to gain an hour of daylight every four weeks until the summer solstice on June 20, 2024.

The Earth’s tilt is what causes the seasons, and the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. After the solstice, the Earth begins to tilt back towards the sun, causing the days to gradually get longer. This process is slow, so it might not feel like the days are getting much longer at first. But, as we move further into January and February, the extra daylight becomes more apparent. The sun rises earlier, sets later, and the overall amount of daylight each day gradually increases. This continues until the summer solstice, when we have the longest day of the year.

Keep in mind that the length of the day is affected by your latitude. If you live closer to the equator, the change in daylight hours will be less dramatic than if you live further north. But regardless of where you live, you can be sure that the days are slowly getting longer after the winter solstice!

We gain a bit of daylight every day after the winter solstice on December 21st. By New Year’s Day, we’ve gained about 9 hours and 15 minutes of daylight. Then, things start to pick up speed! By mid-January, we’re adding about two minutes of daylight each day. This continues to increase, and by February 20th, we’re gaining a whopping three minutes per day!

This daily increase in daylight isn’t consistent throughout the year. The rate at which we gain daylight changes depending on the time of year and our location on Earth.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

After the winter solstice, we gain daylight at a slower rate. This is because the Earth’s tilt is gradually changing, and the Northern Hemisphere is slowly moving towards the sun.
As we get closer to the spring equinox (around March 20th), the rate of daylight gain increases. This is because the Earth’s tilt is changing more rapidly, and the Northern Hemisphere is moving towards the sun at a faster pace.
After the spring equinox, we continue to gain daylight, but the rate of gain starts to slow down again. This is because the Earth’s tilt is changing at a slower rate, and the Northern Hemisphere is approaching the point where it will start to move away from the sun.

This constant change in the rate of daylight gain is why we experience different lengths of days throughout the year. It’s also why we have distinct seasons! The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year, and the summer solstice marks the longest day of the year. The change in daylight hours is a natural phenomenon that’s driven by the Earth’s orbit around the sun and its tilt on its axis. So, enjoy the extra daylight, because it’s only going to get longer from here!

We’re excited to share some fascinating news about our planet’s rotation! The average day lengthened to -0.08 milliseconds in 2023 and is now set to lengthen even more in 2024. This means that our days are getting slightly longer, a change that may seem insignificant, but it’s actually a fascinating phenomenon.

Here’s what’s happening: The Earth’s rotation, which determines the length of a day, isn’t always perfectly consistent. It can speed up or slow down due to a variety of factors, including the gravitational pull of the moon, the sun, and even the movement of Earth’s mantle. While the Earth’s rotation has been gradually slowing down for centuries, in recent years, there have been periods where it has sped up. This unexpected change is a result of several factors, including the movement of Earth’s core, atmospheric pressure changes, and even melting glaciers.

The lengthening of days in 2023 and 2024 indicates that Earth’s rotation is now slowing down again. While this change is subtle, it’s a reminder that our planet is a dynamic system constantly in motion. We’re looking forward to continuing to learn more about this fascinating aspect of Earth’s behavior!

You’re right to wonder about the days getting longer after December. It’s a common misconception that the days keep getting shorter after the Winter Solstice. The truth is, the days begin to lengthen after the Winter Solstice.

The Winter Solstice, which typically occurs on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere, marks the shortest day of the year. This is because the Earth is tilted on its axis and the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest away from the sun. After the Winter Solstice, the Earth begins to tilt back towards the sun, resulting in longer days.

This lengthening of days continues until the Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year, usually occurring on June 20 or 21 in the Northern Hemisphere. Following the Summer Solstice, the days begin to shorten again.

Think of it this way: the Winter Solstice is like the bottom of a swing. The days are at their shortest, and then they start to swing back upwards, getting longer as they go. It’s a natural cycle that happens every year, and it’s a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there’s always hope for brighter days ahead!

The shortest day of the year occurs in parts of Iceland, where the sun rises and then sets about two and a quarter hours later. Iceland is one of the countries that lies on or beyond the Arctic Circle.

The Arctic Circle is an imaginary line of latitude that circles the Earth at approximately 66.5 degrees north. Countries that lie on or beyond the Arctic Circle experience a phenomenon called the polar night, where the sun remains below the horizon for 24 hours or more. This happens during the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The polar night is most extreme at the North Pole, where the sun remains below the horizon for six months.

The length of the polar night varies depending on how far north a country is located. The farther north a country is, the longer the polar night will be. Iceland is located just south of the Arctic Circle, so it experiences a relatively short polar night, with the sun only being below the horizon for a few hours during the winter solstice. This means that even though Iceland experiences the shortest day of the year, it’s not as extreme as other countries located farther north.

The shortest day of the year is always the winter solstice, which falls on or around December 21. This is when the Sun appears to be at its most southern point in the sky. No matter what kind of time we use, the winter solstice always marks the shortest amount of daylight.

Think of it like this: the Earth is tilted on its axis, and as it orbits the Sun, different parts of the planet receive more or less sunlight throughout the year. During the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted furthest away from the Sun, resulting in the shortest amount of daylight.

The exact date of the winter solstice can vary slightly from year to year due to the Earth’s elliptical orbit around the Sun. It can happen as early as December 20th or as late as December 23rd. But it always marks the official start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. After the solstice, the days begin to get longer again, gradually leading us back towards the warmth and sunshine of summer.

The shortest day of the year happens on the winter solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, this occurs on December 21, December 22, or December 23. In the Southern Hemisphere, the winter solstice happens on June 20, June 21, or June 22.

The winter solstice marks the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year. Although the solstice itself lasts just a moment, we often refer to the entire day on which it occurs as the winter solstice.

Why does this happen? The Earth is tilted on its axis at a 23.5-degree angle. This tilt causes different parts of the Earth to receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year. During the winter solstice, the hemisphere tilted away from the sun receives the least amount of direct sunlight, resulting in the shortest day.

Think of it this way. Imagine a flashlight shining on a globe. The part of the globe directly under the flashlight receives the most light. As the globe rotates, different parts receive more or less light depending on their angle to the flashlight. The same concept applies to the Earth and the sun.

The date of the winter solstice can vary by a day or two due to the Earth’s slightly elliptical orbit around the sun and the leap year cycle. However, it always falls within a specific range. So, next time you’re enjoying the warmth of the fireplace or a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter day, remember that it’s the shortest day of the year, but it also signifies the start of the sun’s journey back towards longer days and warmer temperatures.

On the first day after the winter solstice, we only gain a few seconds of daylight. But don’t worry, the days start getting longer quickly! As we move further away from the solstice, we’ll see the daylight hours gradually increase. In just one month, we’ll see an increase of over a half hour of sunlight. Our sunset on January 21st will come a little bit before 5:00.

Think of it like this: the days are like a slow-motion sunrise. Each day, the sun climbs a little higher in the sky, and stays up a little longer. It’s a subtle change, but it’s a welcome one. It means that we’re getting closer to spring and all the warmth and sunshine that comes with it.

The amount of daylight we gain each day varies throughout the year, though. It’s faster in the beginning and slows down as we get closer to the spring equinox. This is because the Earth’s orbit around the sun isn’t a perfect circle, and the speed at which we travel changes throughout the year.

But even if the rate of change isn’t constant, the overall trend is clear: the days are getting longer. And that’s something to be excited about!

Okay, let’s dive into why December 21st is the shortest day of the year for us in the Northern Hemisphere.

The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year and the longest night. This happens because on this day, the sun appears at its most southerly position, directly overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn. Think of it like the sun reaching the southernmost point of its journey across the sky.

Now, why does this make the day shorter? It’s all about the angle of the sun’s rays. During the winter solstice, the sun’s rays hit the Northern Hemisphere at a more oblique angle. This means the rays are spread out over a larger area, which results in less direct sunlight and a shorter day. It’s like shining a flashlight straight onto a surface versus shining it at a slanted angle – the light is more spread out when it’s angled.

But don’t worry, even though December 21st is the shortest day, the days will start getting longer after that! This is because the Earth’s tilt causes the sun’s apparent position in the sky to shift throughout the year. As we move further away from the winter solstice, the sun’s rays will gradually become more direct, resulting in longer days.

It’s important to note that the situation is reversed in the Southern Hemisphere. They experience their longest day and shortest night on December 21st. This is because the sun is overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn, which is in the Southern Hemisphere.

The 2024 summer solstice marks the longest day of the year, but it also means that days will start getting shorter from this point forward. While the days will indeed get shorter, there are some common misconceptions about what this actually means.

The summer solstice is the day when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky. This happens because the Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. This tilt causes different parts of the Earth to receive more or less direct sunlight throughout the year. During the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, resulting in the longest day of the year.

After the summer solstice, the Earth begins to tilt away from the sun, causing the days to get shorter. This process continues until the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. The length of the days then begins to increase again until the next summer solstice.

You might hear people say that the days “get shorter” because the Earth is moving away from the sun. However, this isn’t true. The Earth is actually closest to the sun in January, and farthest from the sun in July. The changing length of days is due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis, not its distance from the sun.

It’s important to remember that while the days are getting shorter after the summer solstice, they aren’t getting shorter at a constant rate. The change in daylight hours is gradual and varies depending on your location.

We’re all looking forward to longer days, and it starts happening after December 22nd, the winter solstice. You’ll start noticing the extra daylight around the middle of January, and it will continue to get longer until June 20th, the summer solstice.

The gradual increase in daylight hours is a result of the Earth’s tilt on its axis. During the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted furthest away from the sun, resulting in the shortest day of the year. As the Earth continues its journey around the sun, the Northern Hemisphere begins to tilt towards the sun, leading to longer days. This is why we experience longer days and shorter nights as we move towards summer.

Think of it like this: Imagine you’re holding a flashlight and shining it on a globe. As you tilt the globe, the light from the flashlight falls on different parts of the globe for different amounts of time. The same principle applies to the Earth and the sun.

The amount of daylight we gain each day is very small, but it adds up over time. By June 20th, we’ll have gained a significant amount of daylight, enjoying the longest day of the year. This means more time for outdoor activities, enjoying the sunshine, and soaking up the warmth of summer.

You’re probably wondering why our days start getting longer after December 21st, right? It’s a great question! It all has to do with the Earth’s orbit around the sun and the tilt of our planet’s axis.

Let me break it down for you:

The Earth is tilted on its axis, and this tilt is what causes the seasons. During the winter solstice, which happens on December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun appears to be at its lowest point in the sky. This means that the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun and receives less direct sunlight.

As the Earth continues its journey around the sun, the Northern Hemisphere starts to tilt back towards the sun. This gradual tilting causes the sun to appear higher in the sky each day. Since the sun is higher in the sky, it stays above the horizon for longer, resulting in longer days.

Think of it like this: Imagine you are holding a flashlight tilted towards the wall. The light from the flashlight represents the sun and the wall represents the Earth. If you tilt the flashlight upwards, the light will cover a larger area of the wall. Similarly, as the Earth tilts towards the sun, the sun’s rays cover a larger area of the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in longer days.

So there you have it! The Earth’s tilt and its orbit around the sun work together to create the changes in day length throughout the year.

We all know that the days start getting longer after the winter solstice, but why is that? Let’s explore this fascinating phenomenon.

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, and it occurs around December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere. After the winter solstice, the days gradually start to get longer. This is because of the way the Earth orbits the Sun.

The Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. This tilt causes different parts of the Earth to receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year. During the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, receiving less direct sunlight. As the Earth continues its journey around the Sun, the Northern Hemisphere gradually tilts towards the Sun, causing the days to become longer.

Think of it like this: imagine a spinning top that’s tilted. The top will wobble, and different parts of the top will be closer to the ground at different times. Similarly, the Earth’s tilt causes different parts of the Earth to be closer to the Sun at different times of the year. This is what causes the seasons.

After the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere starts tilting towards the Sun, leading to longer days and shorter nights. As we approach the summer solstice, which occurs around June 21st, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted most directly towards the Sun, resulting in the longest day of the year.

So, the next time you notice the days getting longer after the winter solstice, remember that it’s all thanks to the Earth’s tilt and its journey around the Sun. The changing angle of the Sun’s rays throughout the year is what creates our seasons and the ever-changing length of our days.

The days started getting longer after December 22, 2023. The extra hour of daylight following the solstice gradually becomes noticeable toward the middle of January. We continue to gain an additional hour of daylight every four weeks until the longest day of the year on June 20, 2024.

The reason for the longer days is the Earth’s tilt on its axis. This tilt causes different parts of the Earth to receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year. During the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest away from the sun, resulting in shorter days and longer nights. As the Earth continues its orbit around the sun, the Northern Hemisphere gradually tilts towards the sun, leading to longer days and shorter nights. This process continues until the summer solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted closest to the sun, resulting in the longest day of the year.

It’s fascinating to think about how the tilt of our planet affects our daily lives. This natural phenomenon, which we observe as the changing seasons, has played a crucial role in human civilization and culture throughout history. From ancient agricultural practices to modern-day celebrations, our lives are intertwined with the rhythms of the Earth’s rotation and tilt.

Here’s when the days will start getting longer – The Scotsman

The days started getting longer after December 22, 2023. The extra hour of daylight following the solstice gradually becomes noticeable toward the middle of January. The Scotsman

After the Summer Solstice, How Fast are We Losing

After the solstice, the days will get progressively shorter throughout the summer into the fall. Yes, it starts to get dark earlier. Take Seattle again. By the fall equinox, or the first day of fall, on Sept. 22, the sunrise is The Old Farmer’s Almanac

How Much Daylight Do We Gain After the Winter

Starting Saturday, December 23, the days will start being longer, and the Sun will be slightly higher up. We’ll start feeling greater warmth on our skin, too! Solar intensity depends on the sun’s height. The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Winter Solstice – When Is Winter 2024? – timeanddate.com

Days Get Longer During Winter. Astronomical winter begins at the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. This means days get longer during winter—very slowly at TimeAndDate

Fact or Fiction: The Days (and Nights) Are Getting Longer

The Sciences. The summer solstice that falls this year on June 21 marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, sunlight-wise. Almost imperceptibly, Scientific American

When do days start getting longer after the winter solstice?

Professor Lucie Green (UCL Space & Climate Physics) explains how the length of our days begins to get longer after December 21st, as Earth orbits the sun. UCL

The winter solstice is here: Long nights will start giving

Beginning Thursday, the days will get slightly longer and the nights will become shorter with each passing day. The longer days culminate with the summer solstice, also known as “the longest day.” USA Today

When is the winter solstice? The shortest day

Do the days get longer after the winter solstice? After the shortest day, the days start getting longer and the nights shorter. At the spring and autumnal equinoxes the day and night hours are around the same Royal Museums Greenwich

Winter solstice 2021 brings the year’s longest night to Northern …

The winter solstice of 2021 occurs today (Dec. 21), marking the official beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and it brings good news: From tomorrow Space.com