Today is winter solstice: interesting facts about the shortest day of year

Every year in December, the winter solstice occurs - the shortest day of the year for residents of the Northern Hemisphere, that is, including Ukrainians, and the longest day in the Southern Hemisphere. This year's solstice occurs on December 21.

Ukrainian News Agency will tell you about the astronomical phenomenon.

The solstice is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs twice a year: in June and December. On these dates, the Sun is at its highest or lowest point above the equator, depending on the hemisphere. The December solstice marks the beginning of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

Interesting facts about the December solstice:

• The December solstice occurs at a specific moment in time when the Sun exactly passes over the Tropic of Capricorn.
• It can occur on December 20, 21, 22, or even 23, although dates of December 20 and 23 are very rare. The last solstice on December 23 was in 1903, and the next one is not expected until 2303.
• The term "solstice" comes from the Latin word solstitium, meaning "Sun standing still." On this day, when viewed from Earth, the Sun appears to stop moving across the sky and then reverse direction.
• Many cultures around the world celebrate the December solstice with feasts and holidays. One of the most famous examples is Christmas, which stems from ancient winter holiday traditions.
• In the Northern Hemisphere, the Earth is closest to the Sun in winter. However, the seasons are independent of the distance between the Earth and the Sun. They are caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis by 23.4 degrees, which causes different hemispheres to receive different amounts of sunlight throughout the year.
• A few weeks after the December solstice, the Earth reaches perihelion, the point in its orbit that is closest to the Sun.

We should also add that in the Northern Hemisphere, which includes Ukraine, the solstice marks the shortest daylight day and longest night of the year. For residents of the Southern Hemisphere, it is the longest day and shortest night.

In addition, astronomers count winter from the December solstice, which lasts until the March equinox. However, meteorologists traditionally consider December 1 to be the first day of winter.

The December solstice symbolizes the transition to a new astronomical cycle, when the days will gradually begin to lengthen, bringing more light and warmth to the northern latitudes.