The 2024 winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, takes place on Saturday, December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere. The celestial event signifies the first day of winter, astronomically.
What is the winter solstice?
The winter solstice it is the day of each year that has the shortest period of light between sunrise and sunset, and therefore the longest night. It happens when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, a line of latitude that circles the globe south of the equator, the National Meteorological Service explains
The further north you are, the shorter the day, and in the Arctic Circle the sun will not rise at all.
How is the day of the winter solstice determined?
The winter solstice occurs because of the tilt of the Earth as it revolves around the sun.
When the northern hemisphere moves away from the sun, the nights are longer. The longest night occurs at the solstice because the hemisphere is at its farthest position from the sun. This happens every year on December 21 or 22.
This year, it falls on December 21 at 4:21 am ETto be precise
At the summer solstice, when the north declination is closest to the sun, we have the longest day, usually June 20 or 21.
National Meteorological Service
The solstices are not always exactly on the 21st of each year because the earth’s rotation around the sun is 365.25 days, instead of 365 pairs.
Will the days start getting longer after the winter solstice?
yes Each day after the solstice, we get one more minute of sunlight. It doesn’t sound like much, but after just two months, or about 60 days, we’ll see about an hour more sunlight.
When will winter officially end in 2025?
Meteorological winter ends on March 20, 2025. Then spring will extend until June 20, when the summer solstice arrives.
How is the winter solstice celebrated around the world?
Nations and cultures around the world have it celebrated the solstice since ancient times with different rituals and traditions. The influence of these solstice traditions can still be seen in our holiday celebrations such as Christmas and Hanukkah, Britannica notes
The ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia celebrated the end of the planting season and is closely linked to today’s Christmas. He honored Saturn, the god of harvest and agriculture. The multi-day affair had plenty of food, games and celebrations. Gifts were given to children and the poor, and slaves were allowed to stop working.
Gatherings are held every year at Stonehengea monumental circle of massive stones in England dating back some 5,000 years. Stonehenge’s origins are shrouded in mystery, but it was built to align with the sun. solstice days.
Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images
The Hopi, a Native American tribe in northern Arizona, celebrate the winter solstice with dancing, purification, and sometimes giving. A sacred ritual known as the Royal Ceremony marks the annual milestone.
In Peru, people honor the return of the sun god on the winter solstice. The old tradition would be to hold sacrificial ceremonies, but today, people make mock sacrifices to celebrate. Because Peru is in the southern hemisphere, its winter solstice occurs in June, when the northern hemisphere is marking its summer solstice.
Scandinavia celebrates Saint Lucia’s Day, a festival of lights.
The “coming of winter,” or Dong Zhi, is a Chinese festival where the family gathers to celebrate the year so far. Traditional foods include tang yuan, sweet rice balls with a black sesame filling. It is believed to have its origins in post-harvest celebrations.
Researchers stationed in Antarctica even have their own traditions, which may include a ice dip in polar waters. They celebrate “midwinter” with festive meals, movies, and sometimes homemade gifts.