Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
winter solsticean incident revered by ancient civilizationsstill holds deep significance today because it marks the beginning of official start of winter,
This annual event marks the shortest day of the yearWhich is characterized by the shortest hours of daylight and, conversely, the longest night. This is also the precise moment when the Sun reaches its minimum daily maximum altitude in the sky.
The word “solstice” itself is rooted in Latin, with “sol” meaning sun, combined with “sistere”, which translates to “stop” or “stand”.
While the Southern Hemisphere acknowledges the beginning of summer, those living north of the equator will see the opposite – the opening day of winter. This year this astronomical event is going to happen on Sunday 21st December at 3:03 pm.
The exact length of the day will vary depending on where you are in the UK. There will be 7 hours 49 minutes and 42 seconds of daylight in London. This means it is 8 hours 49 minutes less than the June solstice.
While this means the days are likely to be dark and dreary, the good news is that it also means the days will get progressively longer, with more hours of daylight leading up to the peak of the summer solstice.
According to the Royal Museum of Greenwich, this variation occurs because the Earth orbits the Sun at an angle of 23.4 degrees to its axis.
During warm periods, the North Pole in the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, meaning daylight hours are longer, while the Southern Hemisphere experiences the opposite. The situation reverses during winter as the North Pole tilts away from the Sun for the Northern Hemisphere.
Occurring on the same day around the world, a solstice occurs when the Sun reaches its lowest or highest point in the sky during the year as a result of the Earth’s axis tilting or moving away from the Sun.
For the Southern Hemisphere, it is the opposite situation, as December 21 is the day of the year with the longest period of sunlight.
Historically, winter The solstice has been of great importance to many cultures, such as Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome, often as a marker for the passing seasons and potential times of rebirth.
In Northern Europe, from the Faroe Islands to Estonia, Germanic peoples have long celebrated this event, known as Yule.
While yule time is old norwegian It was also celebrated by those who celebrated the rebirth of the Sun for 12 days. English Pagan.
According to Pliny the Elder, in Britain, Druid priests marked the important date by gathering mistletoe and sacrificing oxen—which was probably a practical measure to limit the number of mouths to feed during famine months.