The winter solstice

Weather of Arabia - The winter solstice is known as the day when the winter season begins astronomically, and the day of the winter solstice is characterized by the shortest day among the days of the year, and the longest hours of the night.

What does the "winter solstice" mean?

As for the word solstice , what is meant by it is the solstice of the sun on that day, when the sun stops in its apparent path in the earth’s sky, before it reverses its direction. deviating to the north.

The shortest day and the longest night, but not the coldest day

On the day of the winter solstice, the sun travels in its shortest daily path in the earth's sky, so it shines for the least number of hours during the day of the winter solstice, so those regions witness its shortest day on the day of the winter solstice. However, the winter solstice is not considered the coldest day of the year. There are other factors that control temperatures in different regions, such as the location of the region at latitudes, weather patterns in that region, and the amount of snow cover, but temperatures begin to drop, so that the weeks following the winter solstice are the coldest during the year.

The date of the winter solstice in both hemispheres

Northern Hemisphere:

The winter solstice occurs in the northern hemisphere (which includes most of the world's population) between the 21st and 22nd of December of each year, when the Earth's axis tilts away from the sun on that day, and the sun's rays are at their maximum tilt on Northern Hemisphere, at noon perpendicular to the Tropic of Capricorn, located at latitude 23.3 degrees south of the equator.

Southern Hemisphere:

The situation is completely reversed in the southern hemisphere, where December 21 in the southern hemisphere marks the beginning of the summer season, while the winter solstice day in the southern hemisphere occurs between June 20 and 21, when it tends to The Earth's axis is towards the sun, so the sun's rays are perpendicular at noon to the Tropic of Cancer, which is located at latitude 23.3 degrees north of the equator, and then coincides with the start of the summer season in the northern half.

Is the winter solstice the actual start of winter?

It is worth mentioning here that the day of the winter solstice is considered the beginning of the astronomical winter season, because the four seasons depend astronomically on the location of the Earth in relation to the sun, and the direction of the tilt of its axis. Winter in the northern hemisphere begins with the beginning of December, and ends with the end of February. Weather science and meteorology remain important in studying the beginnings of the seasons depending on the average annual temperatures, due to their proximity to what actually happens on the ground, and this is important. Great for different sectors such as, agricultural sector, industrial sector and others.

The importance of the winter solstice

The day of the winter solstice is considered an important event for the regions located on the poles of the globe. When the northern winter solstice occurs, the North Pole of the Earth is at its maximum tilt away from the sun, and thus the areas located there are plunged into complete darkness that lasts for several months.

On the day of the winter solstice, dawn is delayed, and the sun rises from the far southeast, and in the following days, the apparent path of the sun begins to head north due to the movement of the earth in its axis around the sun, as the end hours begin to gradually increase until they become equal to the night hours by the day of the spring equinox in March. This is useful in calculating prayer times and fasting hours for Muslims around the world.

The winter solstice is also a special day for many cultures. After this day ends, the day begins to lengthen and the night becomes shorter. Therefore, the solstice day is celebrated in many cultures as the time of rebirth.

The noontime shade is the longest of the year

Since the sun is at its lowest point in the sky on this day, you will notice that your shadow at noon is the longest of the year, while the shadow at noon on the summer solstice in June will be the shortest of the year.

Celebration of the winter solstice

Many people around the world celebrate the winter solstice in different ways. Examples of historical monuments and places where people go to celebrate are; Stonehenge monument near the English city of Wiltshire, which witnesses an annual influx of people and tourists from all over the world, to witness the phenomenon of the solar solstice, and the fame of Stonehenge is due to the line of sight that it forms with the sunset on the day of the winter solstice, as the place is intended for some people who are still They believe in pagan rituals, to celebrate the solar New Year.

In the ancient city of Tulum, located on the Mexican Yucata Peninsula, there is a monument dedicated to celebrating the date of the winter solstice, where tourists come to enjoy watching the sun on that day when its rays pass through a small hole in one of the large stone buildings, which gives a picturesque view of the place.