Truly we are in the darkest days of the year, about two weeks away from the longest night, in terms of darkness vs. daylight.

Nature and astronomy acting in their own way, the mornings and evenings do not become darker at an equal rate. And so, as of Monday, Dec. 9, the sunset will come one minute later, at 4:49 p.m., than its earliest moment of 4:48 observed more or less for the last week.

On the other hand, sunrise will come even later for the next few weeks, until more daylight begins to creep in at either end of the day in early January. And by then, with Christmas lights put away, we will be ready for any additional brightness that Mother Earth can throw our way. ...