Winter Solstice News:
Winter is coming. Our ancestors celebrated the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, with festivals marking the cycle of death and rebirth.
Since then, astronomers have determined the scientific basis for Earth’s seasons, and even discovered winters on other planets, while communities around the world still celebrate with age-old traditions.
This year, snuggle up under a cozy blanket with a toasty cup of hot cocoa and learn more about the science, culture, and legends behind this annual event.
The Winter Solstice Occurs at a Specific Moment
Most people observe the winter solstice as a day on the calendar — usually Dec. 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere — that marks the beginning of the coldest season. Astronomically speaking, however, the winter solstice occurs when the sun appears directly overhead at noon at the Tropic of Capricorn. This invisible line circles the planet at 23°26’22” south latitude and runs through Paraguay, Namibia, Australia, and other countries. The winter solstice corresponds with the exact moment the Northern Hemisphere reaches its maximum tilt away from the sun.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the timing and location are reversed. The winter solstice there occurs around June 20 or 21 at the moment when the sun appears overhead at noon at the Tropic of Cancer, which circles Earth at 23°26’22” north latitude (crossing Mexico, Saudi Arabia, India, and other places). The timing coincides with the Southern Hemisphere’s maximum tilt away from the sun.
The Winter Solstice Marks the Shortest Day and Longest Night of the Year
When either hemisphere is tilting away from the sun to its greatest possible extent, people who live there experience the least daylight and most night of the year. But just how short the day is depends on your precise location — specifically, how close you are to the equator.
More southerly locations in the Northern Hemisphere have longer shortest days; the shortest days in northerly locations last only a few hours. For example, Manila in the Philippines lies near the equator and experiences 11 hours, 15 minutes, and 57 seconds of daylight on the winter solstice. In Reykjavik, Iceland, daylight lasts just four hours, seven minutes, and nine seconds.
Source: interestingfacts.com