John Wheeler: The shortest day is on the Winter Solstice, but the latest sunrises are happening now

FARGO — Although the Winter Solstice is not until Dec. 21, the earliest sunsets in our region are happening now. Rounded off to the nearest minute, sunset in Fargo will occur at 4:38 p.

m. from tonight through Dec. 14.



The period of latest sunrises, 8:12 p.m. is from Dec.

28 through Jan. 5. The two coincide for the shortest day Dec.

21, although the day-to-day difference from now into early January is a matter of seconds and is essentially negligible. The discrepancy comes from the fact that each day, if measured by the highest point of the sun in the sky from one day to the next, is slightly longer near the solstices and shorter near the equinoxes. This and the geometry of angles emanating from Earth's axis of daily rotation results in this annual oddity that matters very little but surprises anyone who learns of it.

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