By Cara Beth Lewis
The winter solstice will take place tomorrow, December 21st, marking the first official day of Winter and the shortest day of the year. Upon the winter solstice, the Sun appears at its lowest in the sky, and its noontime elevation seems to stay the same for several days before and after this day. The Sun’s gradual decrease in the sky reverses upon the winter solstice, marking what many cultures believe to be a “rebirth” of the Sun as the hours of daylight become longer, according to the Farmer’s Almanac.
The term “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol (Sun) and sistere (to stand still) because, during the solstice, the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator (called declination) appears to stand still.
On the other hand, the summer solstice marks the longest day of the year. Moreover, since the summer solstice in June our days have been growing shorter and shorter. After the winter solstice tomorrow, the days will begin growing longer again until the summer solstice when the cycle repeats itself as it does every year.
While winter begins in the Northern Hemisphere, summer will begin in the Southern Hemisphere. We have an opposite experience because while our half of the globe is inclined away from the Sun, their half is inclined toward it.
Fun Fact from the Farmer’s Almanac:
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If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, check your noontime shadow around the time of the solstice: It will be your longest noontime shadow of the year. Conversely, in June, at the time of the summer solstice, you’ll see your shortest noontime shadow. This is because the Sun is at different angles. The Sun’s low arc across the sky in winter causes objects to cast longer shadows.
Since ancient times, the winter solstice has played a significant role in cultures across the world. Festivals including Alban Arthan, The Feast of Juul, Dongzhi Winter Solstice Festival, and Saturnalia are all directly related to the solstice.
Tomorrow, the day of the winter solstice, the sun will rise at approximately 7:20 am and set at approximately 5:05 pm – the shortest day of the year.
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