What time is sunrise and sunset today? How many hours of daylight Scotland has today, and when the shortest day is

Winter is here and the dark nights are setting in as the shortest day of the year approaches.

(Photo: Shutterstock)

Daylight hours are in short supply around the festive period with the sun seemingly rising later and setting earlier every day.

so we can find ourselves spending much of our lives in darkness.

Here are the key timings for the days ahead:

(Photo: Shutterstock)

What time is sunrise and sunset in Scotland today?

Because of the size of Scotland, there is a divide between the nation's northernmost regions and those in the south.

For example, in Edinburgh the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year – will see six hours and 58 minutes of daylight, with the sun rising at 8.42am and setting at 3.40pm.

On the same day Inverness will have six hours and 36 minutes of daylight, with sunrise at 8.57am and sunset at 3.33pm.

Here are the sunrise and sunset times from today until the New Year across Scotland:

Tuesday 10 December

Edinburgh: 8.31am/3.53am

Inverness: 8.46am/3.32pm

Wednesday 11 December

Edinburgh: 8.33am/3.38pm

Inverness: 8.47am/3.31pm

Thursday 12 December

Edinburgh: 8.34am/3.38pm

Inverness: 8.49am/3.31pm

Friday 13 December

Edinburgh: 8.35am/3.38pm

Inverness: 8.50am/3.31pm

Saturday 14 December

Edinburgh: 8.36am/3.38pm

Inverness: 8.51am/3.31pm

Sunday 15 December

Edinburgh: 8.37am/3.38pm

Inverness: 8.52am/3.31pm

Monday 16 December

Edinburgh: 8.38am/3.38pm

Inverness: 8.53am/3.31pm

Tuesday 17 December

Edinburgh: 8.39am/3.38pm

Inverness: 8.54am/3.31pm

Wednesday 18 December

Edinburgh: 8.39am/3.38pm

Inverness: 8.54am/3.31pm

Thursday 19 December

Edinburgh: 8.40am/3.38pm

Inverness: 8.55am/3.31pm

Friday 20 December

Edinburgh: 8.41am/3.39pm

Inverness: 8.56am/3.32pm

Saturday 21 December

Edinburgh: 8.41am/3.39pm

Inverness: 8.56am/3.32pm

Sunday 22 December

Edinburgh: 8.42am/3.40pm

Inverness: 8.57am/3.33pm

Monday 23 December

Edinburgh: 8.42am/3.40pm

Inverness: 8.58am/3.33pm

Tuesday 24 December

Edinburgh: 8.43am/3.41pm

Inverness: 8.58am/3.34pm

Wednesday 25 December

Edinburgh: 8.43am/3.41pm

Inverness: 8.58am/3.35pm

Thursday 26 December

Edinburgh: 8.43am/3.42pm

Inverness: 8.58am/3.35pm

Friday 27 December

Edinburgh: 8.43am/3.43pm

Inverness: 8.58am/3.36pm

Saturday 28 December

Edinburgh: 8.44am/3.44pm

Inverness: 8.59am/3.37pm

Sunday 29 December

Edinburgh: 8.44am/3.45pm

Inverness: 8.59am/3.38pm

Monday 30 December

Edinburgh: 8.44am/3.46pm

Inverness: 8.58am/3.39pm

Tuesday 31 December

Edinburgh: 8.43am/3.47pm

Inverness: 8.58am/3.40pm

When is the shortest day of the year?

In 2019 the Northern Hemisphere's winter solstice falls on Sunday 22 December.

Along with 21 December, this is the most common date for the astronomical phenomenon. On rare occasions it can occur on 20 or 23 December instead.

It marks the date when the Earth's axis rotates to the point that the north pole has its maximum tilt from the sun, thus delivering the shortest period of daylight in the year.

The astronomical season classes the winter solstice as the first day of winter, while the more straightforward meteorological definition sets the season's start date at 1 December every year.

Somewhat confusingly, the date can also be known as midwinter - because the days get longer after it has passed, and the countdown to spring begins.

It spawned rituals and celebrations from the earliest human times, with some traditions now associated with Christmas beginning as observances of the astronomical phenomenon.