What time is sunrise and sunset today? How many hours of daylight Scotland has today, and when the shortest day is
Daylight hours are in short supply around the festive period with the sun seemingly rising later and setting earlier every day.
so we can find ourselves spending much of our lives in darkness.
Here are the key timings for the days ahead:
What time is sunrise and sunset in Scotland today?
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Hide AdBecause of the size of Scotland, there is a divide between the nation's northernmost regions and those in the south.
For example, in Edinburgh the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year – will see six hours and 58 minutes of daylight, with the sun rising at 8.42am and setting at 3.40pm.
On the same day Inverness will have six hours and 36 minutes of daylight, with sunrise at 8.57am and sunset at 3.33pm.
Here are the sunrise and sunset times from today until the New Year across Scotland:
Tuesday 10 December
Edinburgh: 8.31am/3.53am
Inverness: 8.46am/3.32pm
Wednesday 11 December
Edinburgh: 8.33am/3.38pm
Inverness: 8.47am/3.31pm
Thursday 12 December
Edinburgh: 8.34am/3.38pm
Inverness: 8.49am/3.31pm
Friday 13 December
Edinburgh: 8.35am/3.38pm
Inverness: 8.50am/3.31pm
Saturday 14 December
Edinburgh: 8.36am/3.38pm
Inverness: 8.51am/3.31pm
Sunday 15 December
Edinburgh: 8.37am/3.38pm
Inverness: 8.52am/3.31pm
Monday 16 December
Edinburgh: 8.38am/3.38pm
Inverness: 8.53am/3.31pm
Tuesday 17 December
Edinburgh: 8.39am/3.38pm
Inverness: 8.54am/3.31pm
Wednesday 18 December
Edinburgh: 8.39am/3.38pm
Inverness: 8.54am/3.31pm
Thursday 19 December
Edinburgh: 8.40am/3.38pm
Inverness: 8.55am/3.31pm
Friday 20 December
Edinburgh: 8.41am/3.39pm
Inverness: 8.56am/3.32pm
Saturday 21 December
Edinburgh: 8.41am/3.39pm
Inverness: 8.56am/3.32pm
Sunday 22 December
Edinburgh: 8.42am/3.40pm
Inverness: 8.57am/3.33pm
Monday 23 December
Edinburgh: 8.42am/3.40pm
Inverness: 8.58am/3.33pm
Tuesday 24 December
Edinburgh: 8.43am/3.41pm
Inverness: 8.58am/3.34pm
Wednesday 25 December
Edinburgh: 8.43am/3.41pm
Inverness: 8.58am/3.35pm
Thursday 26 December
Edinburgh: 8.43am/3.42pm
Inverness: 8.58am/3.35pm
Friday 27 December
Edinburgh: 8.43am/3.43pm
Inverness: 8.58am/3.36pm
Saturday 28 December
Edinburgh: 8.44am/3.44pm
Inverness: 8.59am/3.37pm
Sunday 29 December
Edinburgh: 8.44am/3.45pm
Inverness: 8.59am/3.38pm
Monday 30 December
Edinburgh: 8.44am/3.46pm
Inverness: 8.58am/3.39pm
Tuesday 31 December
Edinburgh: 8.43am/3.47pm
Inverness: 8.58am/3.40pm
When is the shortest day of the year?
In 2019 the Northern Hemisphere's winter solstice falls on Sunday 22 December.
Along with 21 December, this is the most common date for the astronomical phenomenon. On rare occasions it can occur on 20 or 23 December instead.
It marks the date when the Earth's axis rotates to the point that the north pole has its maximum tilt from the sun, thus delivering the shortest period of daylight in the year.
The astronomical season classes the winter solstice as the first day of winter, while the more straightforward meteorological definition sets the season's start date at 1 December every year.
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Hide AdSomewhat confusingly, the date can also be known as midwinter - because the days get longer after it has passed, and the countdown to spring begins.
It spawned rituals and celebrations from the earliest human times, with some traditions now associated with Christmas beginning as observances of the astronomical phenomenon.