.... sunrise ... sunset ....
 

December 8: sunset starts moving back, to a later time.

The earliest sunset of the year occurred on Wednesday, December 7th at 4:09-pm.

Starting on Wednesday, December 14th, sunset occurs at 4:10-pm.

So, winter has not even begun and sunset is already happening at a later time.

The length of daylight continues to be less, each day, until December 21, because the sun continues to rise at a later time while sunset happens at a later time as well, or something! ....... :laugh:

We've gained 1 minute 41 seconds in sunset time since December 9. Spring won't be long now. ;-) Apparently it takes a lot of effort to get this big ball turning in the other direction.

https://sunrise-sunset.org/search?location=meredith+nh

One decent source of sunrise and sunset times, length of day, etc. for any place is here:https://ptaff.ca/soleil/?l1pays=USA&...w+the+graph%21

The times and length of day follow a sine curve pattern. The variations are due to the 23.5 degree tilt of earth's axis from perpendicular to the orbit plane. The fact that the dates of earliest sunset and latest sunrise are about two weeks to either side of December 21 (shortest daylight length) is due to our orbit around the sun being somewhat eliptical, rather than spherical. Actually, we are closest to the sun in early winter (northern hemisphere winter). In 2023, this happens on January 4 at 11:17 A.M. Eastern Time. But since earth's axis is tilted from "vertical" so that the north pole is aimed somewhat away from the sun, incoming solar gain is spread over more area in winter, the weather is cooler now. The north pole actually is in earth's shadow around the clock right now. In early July (the 4th in 2023), the earth will be farthest from the sun, but tilted toward the sun (northern hemisphere), so the daytime solar gain is less spread out and the temps are warmer.