Why is it getting dark so early?

I know, it’s so depressing. Try moving to Africa—many African countries do not have daylight savings time. You can see a map here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_around_the_world

Well, as Archimedes said, “Give me a place to stand and I will move the earth.” You wouldn’t be able to change its elliptical orbit but you could reset the tilt of the axis to its orbit. Now it is about 23 degrees off the vertical; if you could get it to stand 90 degrees to the plane of its path around the sun, you’d have equal day and night (almost…)

Keeping track of time is a man made construct. Therefore it doesn’t work perfectly with nature. Twas a good try though.

The closer to the north pole the longer the dark winter hours, yet also, the longer the summer days. Take your pick. Buy some light bulbs and use the time to reflect indoors.

Yes, you should have homes in two hemispheres, if you can manage it. Or at least have a home in southern California for the winter months. I recommend spending your summers in Seattle.

just move to the tropics and send me an invite :)

Perchik, could you define “keep track of time?” What about circadian rhythms – they ‘keep track’ of time.

i think my body goes between a 20 hour day and a 26 hour day. During summers, getting 8 hours of sleep seems normal, but the days seem just as short as spring or fall. In winter, all i want to do is crawl into bed at like 8 PM, and if i actually have the time to do so, i’m always tired anyway.

this didnt really have much to do with the topic…

Move to Ecuador, the government sucks, but is a nice place to live in…

and you have great great weather :)

When the days are short and the nights are long, I think a blazing fire is a grand idea. In a fireplace if inside. I always think of such a fire as the sun—the warmth and the heat—and bask. But I am not one affected by the dark short days in general. I find them an excuse to cuddle up and read.
Next best choice, yes, houses in two hemispheres.

The sun is farther away from us during the winter season. Causing less light, for a shorter amount of time.

@Trance24; you’d think that logically, I know, but astronomically, the seasons are caused by the tilt of the earth’s axis (c.23 degrees) to the plane of its orbit around the sun. The distance does change due to the earth’s elliptical path around the sun but it is a very small change.

. During the winter in the N. hemisphere, we are, in reality, slightly closer to the sun than in the summer, but we are tilted away. Hence the daylight hrs. getting shorter and shorter as one approaches the N. Pole.

Google; Astronomy seasons for more details and diagrams…interesting about day and night at the poles during the summer and winter solstices. One of my wishes for the New Year is that all of you become amateur Astronomers.

OK. I did the work. (Thanks for “great answer” tick.) This site has good, clear graphics.

reasons for seasons

dude who made the quote about Archimedes:
he also asked for a lever long enough.
and if you can afford to have a home in both hemispheres, go for it.

@Boston; I am not and have never been a dude.

lol
whoops