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Old 01-20-2014, 04:19 AM
 
Location: London, UK
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What are the places in the world with the weirdest time zone anomalies (abnormally early or late sunrises/sunsets, weird latitude effects, exotic DST patterns, etc.)?

A few to start with:
  • Some Muslim countries which use DST, such as Morroco, reverse to standard time temporarily during their DST period, during the Ramadan period, presumably to voluntarily create earlier sunsets. Morocco hence experiences 4 time zone changes per year.
  • Due to China using a single time zone, Western China has very late solar noons (hence very late sunrises and sunsets). I find it extremely appreciable. I love late sunsets, hate early sunsets, and don't care much about sunrise times, so such a pattern is optimal for me. Despite being located at almost 30°N, the earliest sunset time in Lhasa is 7pm in December!
  • The same goes for extreme Western Alaska, which, in addition, applies DST. This results in solar noons as late as 3.12pm in Nome. On 18 March, the sun rises at 9.08am and sets at 9.12pm - this is later than late June in Seattle, despite being still technically in winter, in Alaska!
  • Conversely, northeastern India, for the same reason, has disgustingly early sunsets. The worst I can find with available sun times data is Tinsukia. Despite being located at 27°N, the sun sets at about 4.20pm in winter and only 6.10pm in June. By late August it is already down to 5.30pm - earlier than Nice (43°N) in late January, despite being summer at a reasonably not-so-low latitude.
  • Due to time zone effects and the extreme length of summer days at arctic latitudes, days in Reykjavik have their sunset the following day (after midnight). This results, technically, in days having their sunset before their sunrise. For example, on June 21, sunset is at 12:04am, and sunrise at 2:55am.
  • Everywhere around the world, due to the equation of time, with everything else held constant, sunset and sunrise times tend to be earlier around October/November, and later around February and July/August. This effect is compensated by much larger day length variations in mid to high latitude climates. However, for climates close to the equator with little day length variation, the equation of time effect can exceed the day length effect. The result is that such climates can have later sunsets in February than in June, even though days are (slightly) longer in June (for NH climates). Singapore's latest sunsets occur in February - i.e. NH winter.

Any other ideas?
Any additional examples of cities with remarkably and abnormally early or late sun times (not just due to latitude) are welcome.
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Old 01-20-2014, 05:13 AM
 
Location: Zagreb, Croatia
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Northwestern Spain has very late sunsets (about 19.00 in winter and 22.00 in summer).
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Old 01-20-2014, 06:15 AM
 
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this is pretty weird.


Where time collides - YouTube
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Old 01-20-2014, 06:28 AM
 
Location: Bremerhaven, NW Germany
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Japan has very early sunsets and sunrises, especially in summer since it does not observe daylight saving.
Even in the most northernmost place on the island of Hokkaido (Wakkanai) the lastest sunset is at 7:26 pm on summer solstice- and Wakkanai lies on the 45th latitude.

Another country with very early sunsets is Poland, especially the eastern half.
Suwalki for example has its earliest sunset in Mid December at 3:05 pm.

Another interessting place with very late sunsets for its latitude- the City of Dakar in Senegal, according to Weather Online its latest sunset in Mid July is
7:44 pm.
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Old 01-20-2014, 07:36 AM
 
Location: North West Northern Ireland.
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Winter - we are 30 minutes ahead of local time
Summer - we are 1.5 hours ahead of local time.

Doesn't have a signifcant affect in winter but in summer sunrise is quite a bit later than it would normally be at 55North. Almost 5am instead of 3am.

I think we have the same sunrise times as eastern america in the summer and the same sunset times as eastern america in the winter.
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Old 01-20-2014, 01:44 PM
 
Location: Finland
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The funny thing is that despite China having a single time zone, unofficially the western provinces still observe the local time. Government agencies as such are of course open according to the Peking time, but independent shops and restaurants are open with the 'local time'. That means that much of the life in the western provinces is following completely a different clock than they should, and like people go to work at 3am official time.
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Old 03-19-2014, 07:17 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ariete View Post
The funny thing is that despite China having a single time zone, unofficially the western provinces still observe the local time. Government agencies as such are of course open according to the Peking time, but independent shops and restaurants are open with the 'local time'. That means that much of the life in the western provinces is following completely a different clock than they should, and like people go to work at 3am official time.
Yes. In 2012 there were also a singke time issue in Indonesia, our country, to GMT+8. I hope it was abandoned (and finally I heard it just was an political issue!!!). If it was applied, the westernmost place in Indonesia will experience 2pm solar noons (Feb), and the easternmost will be experience some like 10.15am (Nov)... How weird!!!
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Old 03-19-2014, 07:23 AM
 
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1 more example (extremely early)


Troll Research Station (owned by Norway), Antartica, has a pre-9am solar noon, even with DST (the earliest will be about 7.46am, Mid-May, without DST

Sunrise and sunset time, day length in Troll research station (Norway), Antarctica

The extremest (late) is another part of Antartica : about 7.30pm!!!
Slightly before and after polar night, one can see post-7pm sunrises!!!. Similarly, near the polar day / midnight sun (midnight means 7.30am there) one can see post-7am sunsets!!!

Sunset before 12pm in NE Greenland in the winter is just the opposite of sunrise after 12pm in NW Alaska in the same season. In summer. the sunrise will be before 12am in NE Greenland, shortly before and after the sun not set, just the opposite of the post-12am sunset in Barrow or Nome.

A map that shows the deviation of the local timezone to the local solar time, not counting DST :

click

Red : local time ahead of solar time (ex : Western China, Western Malaysia, NW Sumatra, Russia (except the eastern part of +12 timezone), Alaska)
Green : solar time ahead of local time (ex : Turkey, Eastern Norway, NE Greenland, eastern part of Java Island)

And its more red than green, even without DST.
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Old 03-19-2014, 10:53 AM
 
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Most parts of the world skew the clock time ahead of solar time to obtain evening light.

But instead of disapproving of those who go Green (early to rise, early to set), realize these cultures probably enjoy their morning light before their work day.

These would be the rural rice-growers in East Asia and the religious morning call to prayer worshippers who enjoy that pre-working day time in the sun.

I honestly can't criticize it because it's a difference in culture that demands a difference in solar behavior

Not to mention for the tropical latitudes with early solar noons, it's probably so uncomfortably hot when sun is out that the early darkness comes as a relief and ironically is the real utility savings in the form of not needing portable A/C, not so much the need for more light in the evening

For Antarctica, the timezone anomalies lose relevance not just because most of the time there's either tons of sunlight all hours or none at all, but also the closer you are to the Poles, the less distance need be traveled to cross 15 degrees of longitude (the theoretical length of an hourly timezone)...and so a small mountainous region that for exploration purposes wants to be clocked the same way, may penetrate numerous longitudes and this probably explains Antarctica's timezone extremes.

Last edited by EricS39; 03-19-2014 at 11:02 AM..
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Old 03-20-2014, 08:23 AM
 
4,658 posts, read 3,639,006 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EricS39 View Post
Most parts of the world skew the clock time ahead of solar time to obtain evening light.

But instead of disapproving of those who go Green (early to rise, early to set), realize these cultures probably enjoy their morning light before their work day.

These would be the rural rice-growers in East Asia and the religious morning call to prayer worshippers who enjoy that pre-working day time in the sun.

I honestly can't criticize it because it's a difference in culture that demands a difference in solar behavior

Not to mention for the tropical latitudes with early solar noons, it's probably so uncomfortably hot when sun is out that the early darkness comes as a relief and ironically is the real utility savings in the form of not needing portable A/C, not so much the need for more light in the evening

For Antarctica, the timezone anomalies lose relevance not just because most of the time there's either tons of sunlight all hours or none at all, but also the closer you are to the Poles, the less distance need be traveled to cross 15 degrees of longitude (the theoretical length of an hourly timezone)...and so a small mountainous region that for exploration purposes wants to be clocked the same way, may penetrate numerous longitudes and this probably explains Antarctica's timezone extremes.
Java, Indonesia also has early solar noons (typically the Eastern Java, can reach to a point just few minutes after 11am in Nov). There are many farmers in that island.

Also, The reason I prefer early sunrise rather than late sunsets (which mean "green" areas / early solar noon), because, I've heard that the morning sunlight (way to work) is better than evening sunlight (way to home) especially in the tropics, that have 25-35 celcius degrees in average (77-95 F) even in the shortest day. Rain only decrease the heat by 3-5 degrees celcius
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