Yes, the darkest day of the year has arrived, but that means there are even brighter days ahead.
Sunday is the shortest day of the year north of the equator, where the solstice marks the beginning of astronomical winter. In the Southern Hemisphere the opposite is true, where the longest day of the year arrives and summer begins.
The word “solstice” comes from the Latin words “sol” – sun and “stitium”, which can mean “pause” or “stop”. Solstice – the end of the annual march of the Sun higher or lower in the sky. The winter solstice is the moment when the sun makes its shortest and lowest arc. Good news for sun lovers: Temperatures then start to rise again and the days get a little longer each day until the end of June.
For centuries, people have celebrated solstices with festivals and monuments such as Stonehenge, which was designed to match the paths of the sun during the solstices. But what happens in heaven? Here's what you need to know about Earth's orbit.
What is solstice?
When the Earth orbits the Sun, it does so at an angle, causing the sun's heat and light to fall unevenly on the northern and southern halves of the planet for much of the year.
Solstices mark the time when the Earth's tilt toward or away from the Sun is at its maximum. This means that the hemispheres receive different amounts of sunlight, and the days and nights are the most unequal.
On the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the upper half of the Earth is tilted away from the Sun at its maximum, resulting in the shortest day and longest night of the year. The winter solstice may fall between December 20 and December 23—this year it is the 21st.
The opposite occurs during the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere: the upper half of the Earth tilts toward the Sun, creating the longest day and shortest night of the year. This solstice falls between June 20 and June 22.
What is an equinox?
During the equinox, the Earth's axis and orbit align so that both hemispheres receive the same amount of sunlight.
The word equinox comes from two Latin words meaning “equal” and “night”. That's because on the day of the equinox, day and night last almost the same amount of time—though you might get a few extra minutes depending on where you are on the planet.
The autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere can occur between September 21 and 24, depending on the year. Its vernal (or vernal) equinox may occur between March 19 and March 21.
What is the difference between meteorological and astronomical seasons?
These are just two different ways to divide the year.
While astronomical seasons depend on how the Earth moves around the sun, meteorological seasons are determined by the weather. Meteorologists break the year into three-month seasons based on annual temperature cycles. According to this calendar, spring begins on March 1, summer on June 1, autumn on September 1, and winter on December 1.
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