Winter solstice: the southernmost extents of day

December 22, 2011 2:00 pm by Frances Dinkelspiel

The 2011 winter solstice occurred at about 11:30 pm PST December 21. As this is the middle of the night, here are the sunset on the 21st (lower) and the sunrise on the 22nd (upper) bracketing the solstice as seen from two different vantage points in the Berkeley Hills. Photo: D.H. Parks

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  • Neil

    Two lovely photographs.

  • Bill

    We’re lucky to live here – though now I’m worrying about a new drought!

  • Anonymous

    I was confused as to what the exact date and time of this was as my calender notes this as December 22nd I checked with the weather underground just now and see that tomorrow will be 0 hours but 4 seconds longer than today the 22nd.  Would someone post the average ‘time’ the length of day will be extended by now as the sun reverses it’s path.  Are we in a ‘pause’ or sorts as all of the planets work this all out, so to speak…or does this process pick up later this week.  I remember checking it at later points in time to see increases such a 45 seconds per day longer or even over a full minute.  This clear weather is making it all the more beautiful vs. an abstraction. Maybe today is 4 seconds longer than yesterday.

  • Guest

    Winter Solstice was yesterday for the west coast.

  • SJM

    stunning! i’d love a print of the sunrise photo.  how does one go about such a thing?