The solstice is an astronomical event that occurs twice a year and marks the beginning of the seasons of the year: summer and winter. During the solstice, the sun reaches its highest or lowest position in the sky, resulting in the longest day or longest night of the year, depending on which hemisphere you are in. It is a magical moment that has been celebrated by many cultures and civilizations throughout history. In this article, you will learn more about what it is, its time and duration, seasons of the year where it occurs and how it is celebrated around the world.
solstice definition
It is an astronomical event where a increase in length of day or night depending on the tilt of the earth’s axis. It occurs when the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky (summer solstice) or its lowest point in the sky (winter solstice) relative to Earth. These moments mark the beginning of summer or winter in the corresponding hemisphere. At the summer solstice, the day is longest and the night is shortest, while at the winter solstice, the night is longest and the day is shortest. The solstice is the time when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is steepest toward or away from the sun, resulting in a difference in the amount of sunlight reaching Earth in different parts of the world.
Why do solstices occur?
They occur due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis of rotation relative to its orbit around the Sun. The Earth’s axis is tilted by approximately 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane, which means that, at different times of the year , the northern and southern hemispheres are tilted toward or away from the sun differently.
This tilt of the Earth’s axis has a significant effect on the amount of sunlight reaching different parts of the Earth while orbit around the sun. During the solstices, which occur twice a year, in June and December, the angle of the Earth’s inclination is such that one of the two polar regions (the North Pole or the South Pole) is completely tilted towards the Sun, while that the other is completely tilted away from the Sun.
They are important astronomical events that have been observed and celebrated by cultures around the world for thousands of years.
When do the solstices occur?
These curious astronomical events that they happen twice a year, around June 21 and December 21. In the northern hemisphere, summer occurs around June 21 and marks the longest day of the year and the shortest night, plus a strange event called the midnight sun. The winter one occurs around December 21 and marks the shortest day of the year and the longest night. In the southern hemisphere, these dates are reversed and the summer one occurs around December 21 and the winter one occurs around June 21. It differs from the equinox because it occurs in spring and autumn with an equal duration for day and night.
The solstices also influence the position of the tropical rain belt, which in turn affects the rainy season in different regions of the world.
Winter Solstice
It is an astronomical event that marks the moment in which the northern hemisphere of the Earth is at its farthest position from the sun, resulting in the shortest day and longest night of the year in that region. This event occurs around December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere and around June 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.
This event that accompanies winter has great cultural importance in many societies, as it marks the beginning of the winter season, this leads to various traditions and festivals being celebrated all over the world. For example, in the northern hemisphere, during this season, many cultures celebrate festivities unique to it, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Yule, among others.
During the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the tropical rain belt moves south, resulting in the rainy season in northern Australia and southern Africa.
Summer Solstice
It is an astronomical event that marks longest day and shortest night of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the shortest day and longest night of the year in the southern hemisphere. This event occurs around June 20 or 21 in the Northern Hemisphere and December 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.
During the summer, the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky, which means that the sun’s rays fall perpendicularly in the Tropic of Cancer, and the days are longer than the nights. In contrast, in winter, which occurs around December 21, the sun’s rays fall perpendicularly on the Tropic of Capricorn, and the days are shorter than the nights.
This season has been celebrated and marked by many cultures throughout history, as a time of renewal and celebration. During the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the tropical rain belt moves northward, resulting in the rainy season in South Asia.
What characteristics do the solstices have?
Among some of the main characteristics of the solstices we have:
- Day and night duration: At the summer solstice (June in the northern hemisphere and December in the southern hemisphere), the day is longest and the night is shortest, while at the winter solstice (December in the northern hemisphere and June in the southern hemisphere ), the day is shorter and the night is longer.
- Altitude of the sun in the sky: During these, the sun reaches its highest (summer) or lowest (winter) point in the sky, relative to the equator. This is because the tilt of the Earth’s axis causes the sun’s rays to affect differently at different times of the year.
- Change of season: Both mark the beginning of a new season in the calendar. In the northern hemisphere, one marks the start of summer, while the other marks the start of winter. In the southern hemisphere, the opposite occurs.
- Cultural and religious importance: The solstices have been important in many cultures and religions throughout history, which is why they have been celebrated with ceremonies and festivities Worldwide. For example, summer is the holiest day in the Celtic calendar, while winter is Christian Christmas day.
How does the solstice influence the calendar?
This is an astronomical event that marks the moment in which the position of the Sun in the sky reaches its maximum north or south declination with respect to the Earth’s equator. There are two solstices in the year, the summer solstice (June 21 in the northern hemisphere and December 21 in the southern hemisphere) and the winter solstice (December 21 in the northern hemisphere and June 21 in the southern hemisphere). south).
The former marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere, while the latter marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. south.
The calendar is influenced by the solstices, since they are important astronomical events that have been observed and recorded by many cultures throughout history. These are used as a reference for the definition of the seasons of the year, which lead to the celebration of festivities linked to these events.
In some calendars, it marks the start of a new season, such as the Gregorian calendar used in much of the world. Also, the length of the year is based on the time it takes for the Earth to complete one full orbit around the Sun, which is also influenced by the position of the Sun at the solstices.
