Australia is about to experience its darkest week of the year, coinciding with the winter solstice on Saturday, June 21. This event represents the shortest day and longest night, marking a time when daylight is at its minimum.
The sunrise and sunset times for major Australian cities are as follows:
- Sydney: Sunrise at 7:00 AM, sunset at 4:54 PM
- Melbourne: Sunrise at 7:35 AM, sunset at 5:08 PM
- Brisbane: Sunrise at 6:37 AM, sunset at 5:02 PM
- Adelaide: Sunrise at 6:53 AM, sunset at 4:42 PM
- Hobart: Sunrise at 7:42 AM, sunset at 4:43 PM
- Canberra: Sunrise at 7:42 AM, sunset at 4:58 PM
- Darwin: Sunrise at 3:36 AM, sunset at 6:00 PM
Hobart will witness the briefest daylight of all states and territories, whilst Darwin enjoys the longest period of light.
The week surrounding the winter solstice, spanning from June 18 to June 21, is characterised by minimal daylight. According to Weatherzone, the solstice occurs when either hemisphere reaches its greatest tilt away from the sun, leading to the sun appearing lower in the sky from the equator.
As Australia endures these long nights, residents can look forward to gradually lengthening days and shorter nights over the following six months post-solstice.