Light Calendar 2024/25 •

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The year 2024/25 runs from 04.02.2024 to 02.02.2025 and has the following astro­nomical fixed points: 17th New March (VE), 16th New June (SS), 17th New Septe (AE), 17th New Dece (WS) – explanation below, V1.2.4

< 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 >

< 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 >

Explanation:
The Light Calendar divides the year into 4 almost equal quarters, each centered exactly midway between the astronomical fixed points (winter solstice, vernal equinox, summer solstice, autumnal equinox). This creates 4 seasons with distinct character: Early Spring (days rapidly get brighter each day/ΝFeb-ΝApr, warmth arrives delayed), Early Summer (time of long days/ΝMay-ΝJul), Early Autumn (days rapidly get shorter each day/ΝAug-ΝOct), Early Winter (dark season with little daylight change/ΝNov-ΝJan).

Every year begins with 1st New Febr (start of Early Spring). The leap month is New Jan; in leap years it has one extra day (marked ¹). Leap years are shifted ca. two years compared to the Gregorian calendar. For practical reasons the year number still changes on 1st Jan as usual. The lunations of a light year are numbered 1-13 (similar to week numbers). A lunation belongs to a light year if its full moon occurs within that year. The cycle begins with the astronomical new moon: if this occurs before 12:00, the previous day/night counts as the beginning; after 12:00, the same day counts as the beginning.

This PHP version does NOT compute full astronomical precision (unlike the app), but provides a good approximation of all dates, seasons, and moon cycles. All times shown in Central European Time (UTC+1|2).

Lunations of light year 2024/25:
0. Moon – new: Wed, 10.01.24, full: Thu, 25.01.24
1. Moon – new: Fri, 09.02.24, full: Sat, 24.02.24
2. Moon – new: Sat, 09.03.24, full: Sun, 24.03.24
3. Moon – new: Mon, 08.04.24, full: Tue, 23.04.24
4. Moon – new: Tue, 07.05.24, full: Thu, 23.05.24
5. Moon – new: Thu, 06.06.24, full: Fri, 21.06.24
6. Moon – new: Fri, 05.07.24, full: Sat, 20.07.24
7. Moon – new: Sat, 03.08.24, full: Mon, 19.08.24
8. Moon – new: Mon, 02.09.24, full: Tue, 17.09.24
9. Moon – new: Wed, 02.10.24, full: Wed, 16.10.24
10. Moon – new: Fri, 01.11.24, full: Fri, 15.11.24
11. Moon – new: Sat, 30.11.24, full: Sat, 14.12.24
12. Moon – new: Mon, 30.12.24, full: Mon, 13.01.25
13. Moon – new: Wed, 29.01.25, full: Wed, 12.02.25

The moon display (see above) works as follows: Μx·y(p/z) = x. Moon, y. Day, p=full moon day, z=cycle length.

In the same vein is 'Gordon's Sun Clock', a single-hand clock whose dial changes daily with the seasons. It is available as a free Android app:

Gordon’s Sun Clock >
Info about Light Calendar (Github) >

For more precise calculations, please check the Android app or the web app.