Which month has a number of hours of darkness most similar to May?

To understand why July is the correct answer, it is important to consider how the number of daylight hours changes throughout the year, particularly in the context of seasonal variations. In the northern hemisphere, May typically has longer days as it transitions into summer, resulting in comparatively fewer hours of darkness.

July, being well into the summer season, actually has a similar number of hours of darkness to May, because while the days are long, the evenings also tend to be longer relative to other months. The sun sets later in July than in the spring months, thus causing a smaller difference in the hours of darkness compared to May.

In contrast, February is closer to winter, which generally has fewer daylight hours and more darkness. November moves towards winter as well, resulting in shorter days and a significant increase in hours of darkness. October, although similar to November, still reflects a seasonal shift towards darkness as it is consistently getting shorter days as winter approaches.

Thus, July stands out for having a number of hours of darkness that is more comparable to May, as both months are situated in the warmer seasons where daylight lasts longer, thus mirroring each other more closely compared to the other options.