![]() ![]() From September to March, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away, so it feels like autumn and winter. From March to September, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted more toward the sun, driving its spring and summer. This tilt drives our planet's seasons, as the Northern and Southern Hemispheres get unequal amounts of sunlight over the course of a year. Solstices occur because Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted about 23.4 degrees relative to Earth's orbit around the sun. ![]() ![]() ( Here's the difference between astronomical and meteorological seasons.) What are solstices? So what exactly are solstices-and how have they been celebrated throughout history? Here’s all you need to know. However, today’s meteorologists officially use temperature records instead to draw lines between the seasons. Traditionally, summer and winter solstices helped mark the changing of the seasons-along with their counterparts, the spring and autumnal equinoxes. Solstices occur at the same time around the world, but their local times vary with time zones. South of the Equator, this same moment marks the unofficial beginning of winter. A tunnel facing the solstice sunrise runs to a main chamber, and a small window bathes the chamber in solstice light for 17 minutes.This year, the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice falls on June 21 at 10:57 a.m. One example is Newgrange, a huge tomb mound built in Ireland around 3200 B.C., about a thousand years before Stonehenge. Ancient solstice sitesĪncient people built many monuments to celebrate the winter solstice. That’s why the word solstice can be translated to "sun stands still' in Latin. In fact, during the days around the winter solstice, the sun is so low on the horizon that it appears to rise and set in the same place. During winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the North Pole is tilted away from the sun, so the height of the arc is low-and your shadow looks long. As our planet orbits, one pole is tilted toward the sun, and one pole is tilted away from it. The height of that arc changes during Earth’s yearly orbit around the sun. Here’s why:Įvery day, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, tracing an arc across the sky. On the winter solstice, if you stand outside at noon and look at your shadow, it will be the longest shadow you cast the entire year. That’s because the Earth’s land and water takes time to cool down. But the coldest temperatures are often still at least a month away, depending on where you live. One myth is that the winter solstice is the coldest day of the year. Scientists often tie it to the calendar, so that winter falls during the latter part of December, January, February, and the early part of March. In the United States, winter lasts about 90 days. Each year, meteorologists-people who study weather and climate-determine the first day of the winter season based on temperature records. But there’s a difference between the winter solstice-called the astronomical first day of winter-and the first day of the winter season, which is called the meteorological first day of winter. solsticesįor many people, the winter solstice marks the changing of fall to winter. For instance, in New Zealand, it can actually snow in July! Seasons vs. That’s because the seasons are reversed below the Equator. Called the summer solstice, it usually occurs between June 20 and June 22.įor people who live in the Southern Hemisphere, though, the winter solstice takes place in June. But the good news is that every day after the winter solstice will be a little longer, until we reach the day with the most hours of daylight. It usually happens on December 21 or 22, at the exact same second around the world.īecause less sunlight reaches Earth, the winter solstice is also the day of the year with the least amount of daytime, known as the shortest day of the year. The winter solstice marks the exact moment when half of Earth is tilted the farthest away from the sun. Brr! For people in the Northern Hemisphere (above the Equator, like the United States), winter is a season of cold, dark days-and if you’re lucky, lots of snow to sled on! (Check out Weird But True! facts about winter.) ![]()
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