Ithaca, NY: shortest day and earliest sunset

The shortest day in Ithaca

On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:32 am and sets at 4:36 pm: 9h 04m of daylight, a moderate winter. The longest day of summer has 15h 18m, so the swing is 6h 14m.

When it gets better in Ithaca

• Earliest sunset: 4:33 pm on Dec 8, before the shortest day (here is why).
• Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:36 am on Jan 3.
• Back above 10 hours of daylight: Feb 2.
• By Feb 21 the days grow by 2.8 minutes a day.

Waking and coming home in the dark

With a 7:00 am alarm, the sun is not yet up on 99 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 71. 59 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.

At 42.4°N this sits between Sarasota FL (27°N, 1.4%) and Nashua NH (43°N, 9.7%) in a 1990 survey of winter depression by latitude.

What to do about it in Ithaca

• A sunrise alarm clock is worth considering if you get up at 7:00 am or earlier: 51 weekday mornings here are still properly dark at that hour, mostly between Sep 29 and Mar 25.
• There is some case for a light therapy lamp: 59 weekdays start and end in the dark. If you notice winter low mood, ask a doctor whether one fits you.
• If you head home at 5:30 pm, the sun has already set from Nov 2 to Feb 8: worth checking your bike lights and porch light before Nov 2.

Daylight in Ithaca, month by month

Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 9h 04m.

Ithaca against the places around it

On the shortest day, compared with Ithaca (9h 04m, sunset 4:36 pm):

• Cortland, NY, 20 mi away: 9h 03m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 4:34 pm (-2 min).
• Elmira, NY, 29 mi away: 9h 06m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 4:39 pm (+3 min).
• Endicott, NY, 33 mi away: 9h 06m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 4:36 pm (0 min).
• Auburn, NY, 34 mi away: 9h 01m of daylight (-3 min), sunset 4:35 pm (-1 min).
• Corning, NY, 35 mi away: 9h 06m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 4:39 pm (+3 min).