The Sun at a standstill

Today is the winter solstice down our way, and this is how Denhams Beach looked at precisely 3:04pm, the moment the Sun reached its furthest north position in the sky for 2013 and started moving back towards the south. It is the shortest day of the year for us and, although winter is still with us (a top of 15C today), I always like when we turn the corner and the light hours begin stretching out as a harbinger to summer.

Puzzlingly, just because today is the shortest day of the year does not mean it is the day of the latest sunrise or the earliest sunset, Sydney Observatory tells us. "This rather complex behaviour is due to the equation of time, which indicates the position of the Sun at 12 noon each day," it says. Uhuh . . . .

We're now looking forward to Sunday's Supermoon and the king tide it will bring with it. But, while we're waiting for that . . . did you spot the brave soul in today's blip paddling out on his board for a spot of surfing?