Solar Time - Hoosiers for Eastern Time

Home Indiana Time Debate 1: Daylight Saving Debate 2: Eastern vs Central Indianapolis South Bend Other Areas Non-Commerce Solar Time > Natural Time More Info History Videos	Solar Time - Sunrise / Sunset
Below are illustrations of sunrise and sunset times for 2018 in three cities. The first two charts illustrate sunrise and sunset in New York City and Chicago. Note that solar noon (the line in the middle) changes from day to day. Solar noon is NEVER a constant, regardless of time zone. It should also be noted that sunrise and sunset are not "dark". Civil Twilight is the limit for objects on Earth to be clearly seen. The earliest sunrise in New York is 5:24 (4:50 twilight), the latest sunrise is 7:28 (6:59 twilight). The earliest sunset in New York is 4:28 (4:59 twilight), the latest sunset is 8:31 (9:04 twilight). The earliest sunrise in Chicago is 5:15 (4:40 twilight), the latest sunrise is 7:25 (6:56 twilight). The earliest sunset in Chicago is 4:19 (4:51 twilight), the latest sunset is 8:29 (9:04 twilight). Sunrise and Sunset in New York City (2018) with Solar Noon Sunrise and Sunset in Chicago (2018) with Solar Noon South Bend In South Bend the earliest sunrise is 6:09 (5:35 twilight) with the latest sunrise at 8:19 (7:50 twilight). The earliest sunset is 5:14 (5:45 twilight) with the latest sunset at 9:23 (9:57 twilight). Note that the entire 9am-5pm workday is within full daylight hours. Based on Census Bureau data, the average commute in St Joseph County begins at 7:16 and lasts 22 minutes. This estimate is shown on the chart as the blue lines. I have estimated the commute home as starting 9 hours after the commute to work. Sunrise and Sunset in South Bend (2018) with Solar Noon Proponents of ending Daylight Saving Time would like to create the following pattern. This would make the earliest sunrise 5:09 (4:35 twilight). The latest sunrise would be at 8:19 (7:50 twilight). The earliest sunset would not change with the latest sunset at 8:23 (8:57 twilight). Changing Daylight Saving Time would be a statewide decision. During the summer months (2nd Sun March-1st Sun November) Indiana would be out of sync with most of the US. (Instead of being the same as Eastern Time or one hour ahead of Central Time people in other states and worldwide would need to remember Indiana's special time zone.) Proposed Sunrise and Sunset in South Bend (2018) with Solar Noon (no DST) Proponents of Central Time would like to create the following pattern. All times would be one hour earlier that Eastern Time. The earliest sunrise would be 5:09 (4:35 twilight) with the latest sunrise at 7:19 (6:50 twilight). The earliest sunset would be 4:14 (4:45 twilight) with the latest sunset at 8:23 (8:57 twilight). While this shift provides an extra hour of morning sun it takes that hour away from evening activities. The 9-5 workday would not end until after dark for approximately two months. Proposed Sunrise and Sunset in South Bend (2018) with Solar Noon (CST/CDT) The choice between Eastern and Central Time comes down to a personal preference ... dark morning vs dark afternoons. Eastern Time creates a situation where the average person is commuting to work as the sun is coming up in winter months. 8am is always in twilight or daylight and work begins as daylight begins. Central Time delays the workday by an hour - the sun is up and the average person is waiting around until it is time to go to work. In the afternoon Eastern Time allows people to get off work and home before sunset all year long. Under Central Time the average person would not leave work until twilight and get home at dark two months out of the year. This darkness may discourage evening activities and create anxiety among people who desire to get home before dark. Ending Daylight Saving Time would give Hoosiers the benefits of Eastern Time during winter months while giving proponents of Central Time another hour of morning sun (most noticeable in March and October) and one less hour of evening sun in the summer. But ending Daylight Saving Time complicates business dealings with people outside of the state and around the world and would severely impact residents and businesses in several counties in southeast Indiana (unless federal laws are changed). While no answer is perfect, the choice of Central Time or ending Daylight Saving Time is less perfect than the status quo - Eastern Time with Daylight Saving Time. Extreme Time Zones The following charts represent the location furthest east in the Eastern and Central Time zones. Indiana is not the furthest west in the Eastern Time zone. Eastern Time extends further west in Northern Michigan. Due to their northern location, not only is "solar noon" later in the day but the days are shorter in the winter and longer in the summer. The Central Time zone stretches further west of the arbitrary meridian time than Northern Michigan. Western Texas has the latest "solar noon" in Central Time. The southern location provides more daylight in the winter and shorter summer days. Evansville's choice of Central Time places them an hour before Western Texas on "solar time".

Home

Indiana Time

Debate 1:
Daylight Saving

Debate 2:
Eastern vs Central
   Indianapolis
   South Bend
   Other Areas

Non-Commerce
   Solar Time >
   Natural Time

More Info
   History
   Videos

Solar Time - Sunrise / Sunset

Below are illustrations of sunrise and sunset times for 2018 in three cities. The first two charts illustrate sunrise and sunset in New York City and Chicago. Note that solar noon (the line in the middle) changes from day to day. Solar noon is NEVER a constant, regardless of time zone. It should also be noted that sunrise and sunset are not "dark". Civil Twilight is the limit for objects on Earth to be clearly seen.

The earliest sunrise in New York is 5:24 (4:50 twilight), the latest sunrise is 7:28 (6:59 twilight).
The earliest sunset in New York is 4:28 (4:59 twilight), the latest sunset is 8:31 (9:04 twilight).
The earliest sunrise in Chicago is 5:15 (4:40 twilight), the latest sunrise is 7:25 (6:56 twilight).
The earliest sunset in Chicago is 4:19 (4:51 twilight), the latest sunset is 8:29 (9:04 twilight).

Sunrise and Sunset in New York City (2018) with Solar Noon

Sunrise and Sunset in Chicago (2018) with Solar Noon

South Bend

In South Bend the earliest sunrise is 6:09 (5:35 twilight) with the latest sunrise at 8:19 (7:50 twilight).
The earliest sunset is 5:14 (5:45 twilight) with the latest sunset at 9:23 (9:57 twilight). Note that the entire 9am-5pm workday is within full daylight hours. Based on Census Bureau data, the average commute in St Joseph County begins at 7:16 and lasts 22 minutes. This estimate is shown on the chart as the blue lines. I have estimated the commute home as starting 9 hours after the commute to work.

Sunrise and Sunset in South Bend (2018) with Solar Noon

Proponents of ending Daylight Saving Time would like to create the following pattern. This would make the earliest sunrise 5:09 (4:35 twilight). The latest sunrise would be at 8:19 (7:50 twilight). The earliest sunset would not change with the latest sunset at 8:23 (8:57 twilight). Changing Daylight Saving Time would be a statewide decision. During the summer months (2nd Sun March-1st Sun November) Indiana would be out of sync with most of the US. (Instead of being the same as Eastern Time or one hour ahead of Central Time people in other states and worldwide would need to remember Indiana's special time zone.)

Proposed Sunrise and Sunset in South Bend (2018) with Solar Noon (no DST)

Proponents of Central Time would like to create the following pattern. All times would be one hour earlier that Eastern Time.
The earliest sunrise would be 5:09 (4:35 twilight) with the latest sunrise at 7:19 (6:50 twilight).
The earliest sunset would be 4:14 (4:45 twilight) with the latest sunset at 8:23 (8:57 twilight).
While this shift provides an extra hour of morning sun it takes that hour away from evening activities. The 9-5 workday would not end until after dark for approximately two months.

Proposed Sunrise and Sunset in South Bend (2018) with Solar Noon (CST/CDT)

The choice between Eastern and Central Time comes down to a personal preference ... dark morning vs dark afternoons. Eastern Time creates a situation where the average person is commuting to work as the sun is coming up in winter months. 8am is always in twilight or daylight and work begins as daylight begins. Central Time delays the workday by an hour - the sun is up and the average person is waiting around until it is time to go to work.

In the afternoon Eastern Time allows people to get off work and home before sunset all year long. Under Central Time the average person would not leave work until twilight and get home at dark two months out of the year. This darkness may discourage evening activities and create anxiety among people who desire to get home before dark.

Ending Daylight Saving Time would give Hoosiers the benefits of Eastern Time during winter months while giving proponents of Central Time another hour of morning sun (most noticeable in March and October) and one less hour of evening sun in the summer. But ending Daylight Saving Time complicates business dealings with people outside of the state and around the world and would severely impact residents and businesses in several counties in southeast Indiana (unless federal laws are changed).

While no answer is perfect, the choice of Central Time or ending Daylight Saving Time is less perfect than the status quo - Eastern Time with Daylight Saving Time.

Extreme Time Zones

The following charts represent the location furthest east in the Eastern and Central Time zones. Indiana is not the furthest west in the Eastern Time zone. Eastern Time extends further west in Northern Michigan. Due to their northern location, not only is "solar noon" later in the day but the days are shorter in the winter and longer in the summer.

The Central Time zone stretches further west of the arbitrary meridian time than Northern Michigan. Western Texas has the latest "solar noon" in Central Time. The southern location provides more daylight in the winter and shorter summer days.

Evansville's choice of Central Time places them an hour before Western Texas on "solar time".