Posted by Ed Kiser on December 17, 2002 at 18:40:44 from 64.12.96.103 user Kisered.
http://www.time.gov
I offer this site on the internet for your observation.
Not only does it tell the time, but it also shows the effect of the seasons on the sunlight coverage across the entire earth.
At this season on the year, where we are almost at the shortest day of the year (Northern Hemisphere, of course). The limits of the shadow emphasizes this shift of the light.
I find it interesting to notice the difference between that of the Lake District in Northern England with the situation here in South Florida. The exaggeration of short days and long night for the Winter season is more obviously shown in the northern latitudes, but much less so experienced here in the semi tropics.
When reading Winter Holiday, I found that the occasional reference to the time came as a surprise as to just how early came the nightfall, whereas for me, I still could expect a few hours of daylight left after that time.
The opposite was shown in the Summer adventures, where it seemed that the daylight seemed to last much longer at these latitudes that it did for me in South Florida.
As you look at this shadow as it crosses the earth, one can easily observe the presence of the sun at Midnight north of the Arctic Circle, as well as the total darkness that still exists at Noon in the Southernmost regions.
As the seasons progress, you will want to revisit this location, to observe how the shadow marks its progression throughout the year.
Although the various options allow for settings for local times zones of each of the four areas within the United States, there is also the option for the displaying of Universal Time that is appropriate in the land of our ancestors and our distant cousins of today.
This just illustrates yet another part the Ransome stories played in becoming a valuable part of my education. I learned, but had fun doing so. It would be an astounding list if I were able to itemize the concepts that Ransome taught me in my more formative years. For these concepts are still valid today. Now if only I could somehow get my grandchildren involved. So hard, with TV being such a competitor for their attention. Perhaps I was fortunate in coming up before such detractions were available, and indeed fortunate to have the books of Ransome there for my personal education. They did teach me so much, for which I am extremely grateful.
Ed Kiser, South Florida