Thursday, December 13, 2007

Time Zone Trivia

I almost forgot that today is a very important holiday, until Lake Chicago Shores reminded me. In Greensboro, today marks the end of "Darkness Creep," that winter phenomenon in which it gets darker earlier and earlier every day. Yesterday's sunset occurred at 5:05; today's at 5:06.
It's a small difference, and you wouldn't notice it, but I like to know things like this.

I remember when I lived in Edenton, about 200 miles east of here, I noticed that it seemed to get dark really early that December. At first I thought it was my imagination until I checked an almanac and saw that, indeed, the earliest sunset there is at 4:52 pm. Now that's just wrong.

On the flip side, when I was in college, I worked at Camp Celo, in the NC mountains, where in late June, it didn't get completely dark until after 10 pm.

Time zones are cool. Just for fun, I looked up the sunset times for West Quoddy Head in Maine, and it looks like the earliest one there is at 3:47 pm. If you took an afternoon nap and woke up at 4:30, how would you know if it was morning or night?

6 comments:

Unknown said...

You don't... it's happened to me before, in college! I panicked because I thought I'd missed an exam. lol.

The worst, though, is when you have to leave for work in the dark AND come back home in the dark. Only being able to see daylight through a window (unless you're like me and sneak out for walks regularly) seems wholly unfair.

David said...

Kim, I too tend to disappear from my office "occasionally" on an especially pretty day. It's very unfair.

Gina said...

david - west whaty head Maine? ive never heard of this place but i wonder if they get more sleep than i do. If so, I'd be willing to give it a shot!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Indiana is chopped into two different time zones. It is an ongoing political battle. It all makes it difficult when trying to make plans to meet with family or even worse work appointments. Often is heard "your time or my time?".

It is exciting when you can start seeing the days lengthen after a long winters pause for the sun to come around.

I love the area of West Quoddy Maine. One of my favorite vacations was exploring that part of Maine.

Mary said...

You wouldn't know!

I'm a clock-watcher when it comes to sunrise/sunset, too. I've noticed the sun sets 30 minutes earlier in Baltimore than in Charlotte.

I do make time for sunlight every day. I crave it during these few weeks.

David said...

Gina-Never been there, but they have a cool lighthouse. Get some sleep, girl!

Lisa, Whose idea was it to have a time zone run through the middle of the state? I assume they have signs on the road telling you that the time just changed???

Did you know, Mary, that it sets 5 minutes later in Huntersville than in Greensboro? Enjoy your long winter afternoons!