please empty your brain below
Early one DG. Off to City airport like me by any chance?

Bruce Wayne | 18.06.17 - 5:14 a.m. | #

Maybe not.... now ive checked. Nothing better then going for a run or walk early doors when no one is around

Bruce Wayne | 18.06.17 - 5:19 a.m. | #

Newcastle Upon Tyne?

Nick | 18.06.17 - 5:28 a.m. | #

Before we switched from Julian to Gregorian calendars, June 24th was the longest day (and December 25th the shortest), hence their choice as two of the Quarter Days, and the adoption of the latter as Christmas day.

timbo | 18.06.17 - 7:17 a.m. | #

As the parent of a toddler with an east-facing bedroom, I very much welcome sunrise getting later.

martin | 18.06.17 - 7:44 a.m. | #

Yes, I too guessed Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and just checked it out.

Nice to see you doing a weekend!

For me I always mentally start enjoying summer from the start of April (however, blustery it is), for by the end of June we are half way through.

Its taken years to get rid of the conditioning from school that August is summer when it's two thirds the way through. October is the bonus month (some days sometimes).

Ken | 18.06.17 - 7:50 a.m. | #

I am similar to Ken, although I start my summer at the end of April, after the summer equinox I start autumn as it is downhill all the way until late December. I call the school "summer" holidays Autumn holidays.
Light mornings or evenings never affect my sleep as I close the room window curtains which black out any external light, so maybe martin with the east facing toddlers bedroom could do the same.

John | 18.06.17 - 8:19 a.m. | #

Martin: I recommend blackout curtains. Not perfect but much better than usual ones. And also training your toddler to entertain themselves for a while. :)

By the time we switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, what was called the 24th of June was being celebrated at what we would now think of as the beginning of July, and the proper midsummer day was about 11 days earlier in the month.

Martin | 18.06.17 - 8:22 a.m. | #

Of course sunset in London depends where you are, having done hills yesterday, those on top will have different times to those at the bottom.

This may not matter much, except that for Muslims this is Ramadan, so when you have sunset and sunrise matters, so best not to live at the top of a tall building on top of a hill!

Still anon | 18.06.17 - 8:43 a.m. | #

Gateshead?

Madison | 18.06.17 - 9:25 a.m. | #

The date of Midsummer was fixed as 24th June some time in the 1st millennium AD (probably the Council of Niceaea in AD325?) when it was the longest day. It had already slipped about three days from the time of Julius Ceasar, and slipped further behind in subsequent centuries before the Gregorian correction to restore the dates to where Julius Caesar originally set them

timbo | 18.06.17 - 9:32 a.m. | #

All I know is that I'm loving the long days. And the warm weather is an added bonus!!
Other members of my family beg to differ!

Cornish Cockney | 18.06.17 - 11:31 a.m. | #

Ah the regular "post of doom" from DG for those of us who like longish daylight. I confess I don't like the high levels of heat though - that just makes me hide somewhere cool and shady. Give me a warm but nicely breezy day anytime.

If you are in Newcastle do enjoy my city of birth. Plenty to keep you interested I am sure.

PC | 18.06.17 - 12:08 p.m. | #

No, no. The Gregorian reform did not restore the dates to where Julius C4easr had originally set them; it restored them to the fourth century, so that the system for calculating the date of Easter, worked out then, would work properly.

In the fourth century the longest day would have been (typically) the 21st, as now. In Julius Caesar's time it might have been the 24th, and it's possible that that day is recognised as Midsummer because of some memory of this; but I suspect that it's because it's the nearest significant Church festival (St John Baptist's day) to the central point. (Though that itself may be indirectly the effect of its having once been the solstice.)

Andrew M | 18.06.17 - 1:40 p.m. | #

Wish we had Double Summer Time. All that daylight at 4am is wasted !

It would be great to have daylight nudging 11pm even in London, and after midnight in the far northwest.

We could always keep the Scots happy by leaving GMT untouched, or they could have their own devolved time zone.

Gerry | 18.06.17 - 3:31 p.m. | #

Gerry, Double Summer Time would be the same as CET (Central European Time) so we would be the same time as France etc.. With the countries present attitude to our European neighbours I doubt if that will happen.
I agree with you, and I have always campaigned for lighter evenings.

John | 19.06.17 - 6:42 a.m. | #

The problem with time zones is that they're predicated on the absurd notion that noon should be mid-day. (Or 1pm in DST) Useful in an astronomical sense, not so great for most people's activity patterns. We'd be much better off on CEST, but that's never going to happen.

Chz | 19.06.17 - 10:00 a.m. | #











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