Latest news with #timeanddate
ABC News
a day ago
- Health
- ABC News
The winter solstice in Australia is today. Here's how the shorter days of winter can affect your sleep patterns
Australia will have its "shortest day of the year" today as the southern hemisphere experiences the winter solstice. Where you are in Australia will determine just how much daylight you will get. The shortest day of the year can also impact your sleep. Here's what that means. Saturday, June 21. According to the exact moment the southern hemisphere is at its furthest tilt from the Sun will be at 12:42pm AEST. While the winter solstice is referred to as the shortest day and longest night of the year, it actually just means it is the day with the least amount of daylight hours. That's because it's when the southern hemisphere is at its furthest tilt away from the Sun, meaning we get less sunlight. At the same time, the northern hemisphere will be experiencing the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year. This happens because the Earth tilts at about 23 degrees, meaning that when one side is closest to the Sun, the other side is furthest away. As the Earth does a lap around the Sun each year, different parts of the planet get more sunlight than others. After Saturday, each day's total sunlight hours will get a fraction longer than the previous day until we reach the summer solstice on December 22. According to the astronomical definition of the seasons, the winter solstice in some places marks the beginning of winter. But in Australia, where only meteorological seasons are observed, this is not the case. That's why the beginning of winter is June 1 here. In some cultures, the winter solstice is celebrated as a time of rebirth because the days get longer. Because it is getting dark so early and the days are shorter, some people may experience changes in their sleep schedule and quality. Elise McGlashan, from the University of Melbourne's John Trinder Sleep Laboratory, says shorter days and longer nights mean less sunlight, which can change circadian rhythms. The circadian rhythm is the internal body clock that regulates sleep. "Those changes in sleep can also be accompanied by changes in timings and function of our internal clock and the function of our clock is mainly driven by environmental light exposure," she says. "In summer, we know the sun might be up until it's close to someone's bedtime, and part of the reason people are sleeping a little longer is they aren't getting those light cues when they're trying to wind down. "But during winter, there is less light and more time to wind down." When there is less light exposure, the body produces more melatonin — a hormone that makes people feel sleepy — and less serotonin, which can lower mood and energy, leading to feeling tired or sluggish. As the sun comes up later, it may be tempting to sleep longer but oversleeping can also impact health. Dr McGlashan recommends getting outside for some sunlight during the day and letting sunlight into your bedroom in the mornings if possible. "Our rhythms need bright days and dark nights," she says. "It can be hard to motivate ourselves to go outside in winter, particularly in a really chilly location, but even on those overcast days, the light outside is going to be brighter than indoor lighting. "It's still really helpful for your body clock and sleep to get outdoor lighting every day."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
When is the summer solstice? Here's what happens on the summer solstice
Despite a record-breaking 13 consecutive rainy weekends in Boston, the first day of summer is almost upon us. The summer solstice, which is also the first astronomical day of summer, is on June 20 this year. It will also be the longest day of the year with over 15 hours of daylight. However, the longest day of the year is not normally the warmest day of the year. According to July is the warmest month in Boston, followed by August. So don't worry about the recent deluge of rain – warmer days are ahead. The summer solstice this year is on June 20, 2025. The summer solstice is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. This year, June 20 will be 15 hours, 17 minutes, and 4 seconds long, with a sunrise of 5:07 a.m. and a sunset of 8:24 p.m. in Boston, according to data from The summer solstice occurs when the earth's tilt towards the sun is at a maximum, hence the long hours of daylight. It is also when the sun appears at its highest elevation in the sky. In the Northern Hemisphere, the solstice always occurs between June 20 and 22. It doesn't land on the same day every year because the calendar year doesn't exactly line up with the astronomical year, or the time it takes Earth to orbit the sun. The astronomical year is 365.25 days long, according to So, it shifts between the three days: June 20, 21, and 22. The summer solstice has long been celebrated by cultures around the world. In Sweden, the solstice is known as midsummer and is celebrating on or near the solstice with dancing around a Maypole and eating and drinking classic Swedish foods. Other countries like Norway, Denmark and Ireland also celebrate midsummer. In England, thousands of people gather to watch the solstice sunrise at Stonehenge, which was built to align with the sun on this day. Other ancient structures are oriented towards the sun too, like the Mayan pyramid Kukulkan at Chichen Itza and Peru's Machu Picchu, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This article originally appeared on Summer Solstice 2025: When is it? Why is it 'longest day of the year'?
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Partial solar eclipse coming soon. Will this one be visible in Florida? What to know
February and March have been great for those who love to gaze into the night sky. There's been a planet parade. A total lunar eclipse. And next up is a partial solar eclipse, although the news isn't good for Florida residents. Be patient, though, almost all of Florida will be in the path of totality ... in a couple of decades. Here's what to know about the next celestial event. The next solar eclipse will be a partial solar eclipse on March 29, according to NASA. The partial solar eclipse will begin around 4:50 a.m. EDT, according to ➤ Interactive partial solar eclipse map It should end just before 8:43 a.m. EDT. The peak coverage will happen around 6:47 a.m. EDT. Unfortunately, no, the partial solar eclipse will not be visible in Florida. The partial solar eclipse will be visible in the northeastern United States — including including New York, Boston and Augusta, Maine — eastern Canada, Europe, western Africa and across the northern Atlantic. ➤ See time of partial solar eclipse by city If you plan to be in northeastern U.S. or even eastern Canada during the eclipse, look up — with protective glasses! — between 4:50 a.m. and 8:53 a.m. EDT, according to No location will see a total eclipse like the one in April 2024. "Only 44,800 will see a 90% or deeper eclipse, all in far northern Quebec," timeanddate said. A solar eclipse happens when the moon comes between the Earth and the sun and casts a shadow on the Earth. During partial solar eclipse, the moon does not totally block the sun. During a total solar eclipse, the moon totally blocks the sun for those in what is known as the path of totality. Almost the entire state of Florida eventually will be in the path of totality for a total solar eclipse. You have plenty of time to order those solar glasses. You're on your own in remembering where you put them. On Aug. 12, 2045, a total solar eclipse will be visible over almost all of Florida, according to States in the path of totality — where residents will see the moon completely block the sun — include not only Florida but also: California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia. In addition to the partial solar eclipse taking place March 29, there also is another partial solar eclipse this year. This partial solar eclipse will take place Sept. 21. You'll have to travel even farther if you want to see this one. It'll only be visible across parts of Australia, Antarctica, the Pacific Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean, according to NASA. In addition to the total lunar eclipse on March 14, another total lunar eclipse will happen on Sept. 7 of this year. It will be visible in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, according to NASA. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Solar eclipse 2025: March 29, see path, timing. Florida visibility
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Black History Month, Pride Month, public holidays no longer appear on Google Calendar
The start of Black History Month and Pride Month will no longer be recognized by Google Calendar, and now users will have to manually add observed commemorative months and public holidays themselves, the tech company said. Google had previously manually added both months and some other public holidays and national observances on its Calendar app, but that will change going forward. In a statement emailed to USA TODAY, a Google spokesperson said, "For over a decade we've worked with to show public holidays and national observances in Google Calendar. Some years ago, the Calendar team started manually adding a broader set of cultural moments in a wide number of countries around the world." "We got feedback that some other events and countries were missing — and maintaining hundreds of moments manually and consistently globally wasn't scalable or sustainable," the statement continued. "So in mid-2024 we returned to showing only public holidays and national observances from globally, while allowing users to manually add other important moments.' According to timeanddate's website, the Stavanger, Norway-based company has 40 employees and contains more than 7,600 holidays in its database. Some of the other moments that will no longer appear are numerous "celebrations" on various topics around the world, such as Teachers Day, according to the Google spokesperson. Although Black History Month, Lunar New Year and other observed commemorative months won't be on Calendars, Google said they "actively celebrate and promote cultural moments as a company in our products." The spokesperson also said public holidays and national observances are two categories shown on Google Calendar, and users can customize their settings within the app to either show, hide or unhide them. This change in Google's Calendar app comes after the company recently changed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on its Maps app. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Jan. 20 to officially rename the Gulf of Mexico. "I took this action in part because, as stated in that Order, '(t)he area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America," Trump said in a White House news release. In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Google said it has a "longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources." The company also said it abides by the U.S. Geological Survey's geographic updates, including changing the Alaskan mountain currently called Denali to "Mount McKinley." According to Google's X post, official geographical names will vary between countries as Maps users will see their official local name while everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr./ USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Google Calendar removes public holidays, national observances
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Black History Month, Pride Month, public holidays no longer appear on Google Calendar
The start of Black History Month and Pride Month will no longer be recognized by Google Calendar, and now users will have to manually add observed commemorative months and public holidays themselves, the tech company said. Google had previously manually added both months and some other public holidays and national observances on its Calendar app, but that will change going forward. In a statement emailed to USA TODAY, a Google spokesperson said, "For over a decade we've worked with to show public holidays and national observances in Google Calendar. Some years ago, the Calendar team started manually adding a broader set of cultural moments in a wide number of countries around the world." "We got feedback that some other events and countries were missing — and maintaining hundreds of moments manually and consistently globally wasn't scalable or sustainable," the statement continued. "So in mid-2024 we returned to showing only public holidays and national observances from globally, while allowing users to manually add other important moments.' According to timeanddate's website, the Stavanger, Norway-based company has 40 employees and contains more than 7,600 holidays in its database. Some of the other moments that will no longer appear are numerous "celebrations" on various topics around the world, such as Teachers Day, according to the Google spokesperson. Although Black History Month, Lunar New Year and other observed commemorative months won't be on Calendars, Google said they "actively celebrate and promote cultural moments as a company in our products." The spokesperson also said public holidays and national observances are two categories shown on Google Calendar, and users can customize their settings within the app to either show, hide or unhide them. This change in Google's Calendar app comes after the company recently changed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on its Maps app. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Jan. 20 to officially rename the Gulf of Mexico. "I took this action in part because, as stated in that Order, '(t)he area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America," Trump said in a White House news release. In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Google said it has a "longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources." The company also said it abides by the U.S. Geological Survey's geographic updates, including changing the Alaskan mountain currently called Denali to "Mount McKinley." According to Google's X post, official geographical names will vary between countries as Maps users will see their official local name while everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr./ USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Google Calendar removes public holidays, national observances
