this is winter

[mellowtigger]

After the first snow a few weeks ago, tree leaves starting turning color in abundance.  Leaves fell to the ground soon afterward.  Most of the deciduous trees are already bare.

We changed timeclocks here on Sunday to comply with the ending of daylight saving time. The difference is obvious. As I stepped outside of work at 5pm, the sun was already about 3° below the horizon.   I know, because the full moon had already risen about 3° above the horizon.  It was almost fully dark by the time I got home.

I started thinking about how northern areas experience so much less sunlight than equatorial areas. Minnesota and Texas are very different in that regard.

Thanks to DaylightChart and GifMake.com, I was able to produce this illustration of the difference between Minnesota and Texas.  Look at the right-hand side of the chart for winter solstice (December 21st).  Notice how much less daylight we have in Minneapolis compared to Houston.  Conversely, notice how much more sunlight we get during summer solstice (June 21).

It's cold.  It's dark.  It's bare.  This is winter.

Comments

[geometrician.livejournal.com]

Hey, sorry not to branch off for discussion on Friday. Do you want to try to have a late breakfast or lunch next weekend to talk over some solutions for your insurance issues? Or, if you aren't working, a late lunch (prob after 1) on Friday.

[maradydd.livejournal.com]

In Iowa it doesn't get light quite that early in the summer -- more like 4:45 as opposed to 4:15 -- but that's an excellent representation of the weirdness that was moving from Houston to Iowa City for me.

[mellowtigger]

I qualify for MN Care, so I've already collected the paperwork that I need to do for that. By the time the first payment is needed for it, I should have my credit card paid off. So... with a small amount of good luck... I think I have the course planned out for me for now. Thanks for the suggestions, though, and I do still intend to contact that group about matching people with doctors. I want to make an initial visit to a neurologist well before the MN Care will kick in.

[geometrician.livejournal.com]

That's excellent! Always happy to help if needed.