http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Post-5pm Sunset en Wed, 13 May 2026 03:38:42 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99457 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:25:51 +0000 Kenny 99457@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Greenroofer - I used to think much the same, but I recently discovered that this isn't the case for the bulk of the year. Indeed, for *at least* 8 months of the year, the day either lengthens or shortens by around 4 minutes a day, 2 at each end. Therefore, aside from the two months around 21-Dec and two around 21-Jun, you can expect it to get a quarter of an hour lighter / darker each week at each end. This means that the lightness at 07:35 this morning will be how light it is at 07:20 this time next week. And you get an extra 15 minutes of light each week in the evening too. It's ace.</p> <p>I did used to think that it would more gradually slow down as we came into mid-winter, but that just doesn't seem to be the case.</p> <p>Source:</p> <p><a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/sunrise.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/sunrise.html</a></p> <p>Note: not only do I not have an education at an establishment favoured by politicians, I have a financial degree, which doesn't qualify me either to understand things like this, or indeed have any relevance to my job. I did study in Inverness though, so it's not all bad. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99333 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:55:50 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 99333@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"<em>The 'return of daylight' is particularly significant for people working '9-5' indoors.</em>"</p> <p>No matter what the weather, I try to get out of the office, even if it's just a 20 minute trundle round the block, at lunchtime. Can't bear being stuck inside all day. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99321 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:17:06 +0000 chdot 99321@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The 'return of daylight' is particularly significant for people working '9-5' indoors. </p> <p>I think another reason that this is being discussed now is that yesterday was particularly clear so the amount/quality of light was much better than many recent days when lights were advisable before "lighting up time". </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99320 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:12:39 +0000 fimm 99320@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@SRD well put. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99318 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:09:21 +0000 SRD 99318@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I always think that e sense of surprise (and gratitude) keeps us in touch with our past - if we're grateful for the return of longer days, imagine how our ancestors felt. Not only did they have little artificial light, but it also meant the return of a growing season and so the lives of their families. Must have been incredibly significant, even if it seems trite and obvious to (some of) us. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99317 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:07:00 +0000 Darkerside 99317@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Or, indeed, from digging out the burning pitchforks and witch-dunking stool. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99316 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:03:55 +0000 fimm 99316@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Uberuce just because we know how something works doesn't stop us commenting on it, does it?</p> <p>Lovely red sunrise this morning. I was on the big bike and didn't have to bother turning up my front light for the out of town section, it was light enough when I got out of Balerno. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99312 Thu, 07 Feb 2013 08:06:07 +0000 wee folding bike 99312@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.analemma.com/Pages/framesPage.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.analemma.com/Pages/framesPage.html</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equation_of_time" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equation_of_time</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99306 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 23:21:29 +0000 Uberuce 99306@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm Uberuce. </p> <p>&lt;---Says so just there </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99304 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 22:43:41 +0000 EddieD 99304@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote>and have said this line to Uberuce at least three times</blockquote></p> <p>I'm confused </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99300 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:37:24 +0000 Uberuce 99300@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>For years I've had a smartpants answer to anyone commenting on the length of day: "Wow, it's almost like the axis of the Earth's rotation is tilted with the respect to the plane of its orbit round the Sun. Nah, must be witches."</p> <p>This year I've found myself being amazed at the lightness of the post and pre-work sky and have said this line to Uberuce at least three times, hanging my head in shame as I do so and prompting nearby people to ask if I have a sore neck, unless I've happened to say it out loud. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99298 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:29:52 +0000 SRD 99298@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Anyone else notice that the sunset is now DIRECTLY down Polwarth gardens as it hits the horizon? Amazing glare.</p> <p>I've been in foot /on pavement past two days, so maybe not as bad when enbike. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99296 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:18:29 +0000 Greenroofer 99296@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've always had the impression that the day length sinusoidal curve thing explained it all beautifully. Minimum daylength at winter solstice, maximum at summer, and around these times the gradient of the curve is pretty flat so day length doesn't change much from day to day (which is why winter drags on for ages and you get lots of long summer evenings). Come the equinoxes, though, the gradient is at its maximum, so the day length is growing or shrinking the fastest. We're now approaching the equinox (it's about six weeks away) so day length is growing quickly and the speed it's growing is growing each day.</p> <p>That's what I think, anyway. It may or may not be true. I have the benefit of education at a university particularly favoured by politicians, so I can make a pretty convincing case for something even when I haven't the <em>faintest</em> idea what I'm talking about...</p> <p>Whether I'm spouting nonsense or not, it's still nice that it's getting noticeably lighter in the mornings! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99293 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:08:44 +0000 EddieD 99293@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>'Tis lovely. In the morning I get the light and mist on the canal, in the evening I get ruddy light on the castle and Cargo...</p> <p>And it's only February 6th, so thphbbbt to all folk who say it's always dark and dismal in Scotland </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99291 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:06:01 +0000 gembo 99291@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This is good news. The other night I was blinded by a cyclist coming into Balerno as I was walking up the street. Turned out was police constable. If cops don't dip to the left what hope is there for us? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99288 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:24:27 +0000 crowriver 99288@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@DaveC: you'll still need those for your SR attempt... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99280 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:26:51 +0000 DaveC 99280@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@bdellar, is the sunset/rise times Sin/2 ?? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99279 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:25:47 +0000 DaveC 99279@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Is this a good time to point out I have new lights?? :D </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99278 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:14:31 +0000 steveo 99278@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Thinking the same thing with the sunset/commute convergence - swans on Duddingston Loch are generally good models... </em></p> <p>Though both plans are somewhat reliant on it not being flat and dull and commuting times, unlike the rest of this week. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99277 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:10:57 +0000 bdellar 99277@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The day length gives a sine curve, but sunrise and sunset times don't... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99276 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:00:25 +0000 chdot 99276@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://blog.blmweb.com/sunrisesunset-calculator" rel="nofollow">http://blog.blmweb.com/sunrisesunset-calculator</a></p> <p>Probably won't need lights for <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9374#post-98514">next PY</a>. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99273 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:38:52 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 99273@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thinking the same thing with the sunset/commute convergence - swans on Duddingston Loch are generally good models... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99272 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:29:24 +0000 steveo 99272@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm so lazy I've not needed my lights in the morning fro ages unless its a PY morning or the weather is particularly bad.</p> <p>Time to start getting up earlier and getting the camera out in the morning for that brief sunrise/commute convergence. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99270 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:25:29 +0000 fimm 99270@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes, came out the house at 7:30 the other morning and noticed light in the sky. Already, I don't really need lights by the time I get to Livingston about 8am. Once it starts changing, it changes quite quickly (I seem to recall seeing a sine curve sometime). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9428#post-99266 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:18:45 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 99266@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>On Friday the sun sets at 5.02pm...</p> <p>I'm already able, if running late in the morning, to ride in without illumination. Not be long now till the ride home is similarly bright. </p>