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Four Light Seasons
The Light Calendar divides the year into four seasons, each centred between two astronomical solar events (Winter Solstice → March Equinox → Summer Solstice → September Equinox → Winter Solstice).
These seasons reflect actual daylight behaviour rather than temperature or cultural convention.
Each of the four Light Seasons can also be subdivided into finer Light Phases, creating a more detailed picture of the annual daylight curve.
Because Earth’s orbital speed varies throughout the year, the four seasons have slightly different lengths:
- Waxing Light (Gedeihen, Q1): approx. 90.9 days
- Light Time (Lichtzeit, Q2): approx. 93.2 days
- Waning Light (Schwinden, Q3): approx. 91.8 days
- Dark Time (Dunkelzeit, Q4): approx. 89.4 days
These variations arise naturally from Earth’s elliptical orbit: the planet moves faster near perihelion (January) and slower near aphelion (July).
To better reflect the shape and rate of change of daylight, each Light Season can be described using the following eight Light Phases:
Light Year:
1. Waxing Light (Gedeihen) — ~91 days
2.1 Arrival into Light (Ankommen im Licht) — ~16 days
2.2 Light Fullness (Lichtruhe) — ~62 days
2.3 Departure from Light (Abschied vom Licht) — ~16 days
3. Waning Light (Schwinden) — ~92 days
4.1 Arrival into Darkness (Ankommen im Dunkeln) — ~15 days
4.2 Dark Fullness (Dunkelruhe) — ~59 days
4.3 Departure from Darkness (Abschied vom Dunkeln) — ~15 days
Total: 365 days
- Waxing Light (Gedeihen): approx. 4 February – 5 May
-
Light Time (Lichtzeit): approx. 6 May – 6 August
- 2.1 Arrival into Light (Ankommen im Licht)
- 2.2 Light Fullness (Lichtruhe)
- 2.3 Departure from Light (Abschied vom Licht)
- Waning Light (Schwinden): approx. 7 August – 6 November
-
Dark Time (Dunkelzeit): approx. 7 November – 3 February
- 4.1 Arrival into Darkness (Ankommen im Dunkeln)
- 4.2 Dark Fullness (Dunkelruhe)
- 4.3 Departure from Darkness (Abschied vom Dunkeln)
Small ±1 day variations occur when translating astronomical boundaries into the Gregorian calendar.
Daylight increases rapidly. The annual curve rises steeply.
Light becomes dominant; the upward curve begins to flatten.
Around the solstice, daylight change slows. The light curve rests at its plateau.
Still bright, but the first gentle decline begins.
Rapid decrease in daylight; the mirror of Waxing Light.
The rate of daylight loss decreases; approaching the dark plateau.
The winter solstice region: minimal day-to-day light change.
The first perceptible return of light; the upward cycle begins again.
The Light Calendar applies identically in the Southern Hemisphere. Only the assignment of the seasons shifts by half a year, while the overall lengths remain constant.