Let’s be totally clear: December 8 is not the darkest night. It’s the darkest DAY. As we explained, this means that it’s the gloomiest afternoon, the earliest sunset. And since far more people are awake and aware at 4:15 PM than at 6 AM, it’s the afternoon darkness that gets widely noticed by the most people, and that’s the date when you experience that.
For 鈥渄arkest night鈥 honors I’d pick the winter solstice, December 21, which has the longest night. For maximum darkness, I’d also want the Moon to be absent. Happily, if you’re a darkness-fan, like a vampire, an insomniac, or maybe a cat burglar, this year the solstice happens a whole week after the full moon, and on that night the Moon won’t even rise until midnight, leaving the first half of the night quite dark indeed! 鈥揃ob Berman
Let’s be totally clear: December 8 is not the darkest night. It’s the darkest DAY. As we explained, this means that it’s the gloomiest afternoon, the earliest sunset. And since far more people are awake and aware at 4:15 PM than at 6 AM, it’s the afternoon darkness that gets widely noticed by the most people, and that’s the date when you experience that.
For 鈥渄arkest night鈥 honors I’d pick the winter solstice, December 21, which has the longest night. For maximum darkness, I’d also want the Moon to be absent. Happily, if you’re a darkness-fan, like a vampire, an insomniac, or maybe a cat burglar, this year the solstice happens a whole week after the full moon, and on that night the Moon won’t even rise until midnight, leaving the first half of the night quite dark indeed! 鈥揃ob Berman