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Winter solstice

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This article is about the astronomical phenomenon. For other uses, see Winter solstice (disambiguation).
UT date and time of
equinoxes and solstices on Earth[1][2]
event equinox solstice equinox solstice
month March[3] June[4] September[5] December[6]
year day time day time day time day time
2019 20 21:58 21 15:54 23 07:50 22 04:19
2020 20 03:50 20 21:43 22 13:31 21 10:03
2021 20 09:37 21 03:32 22 19:21 21 15:59
2022 20 15:33 21 09:14 23 01:04 21 21:48
2023 20 21:25 21 14:58 23 06:50 22 03:28
2024 20 03:07 20 20:51 22 12:44 21 09:20
2025 20 09:02 21 02:42 22 18:20 21 15:03
2026 20 14:46 21 08:25 23 00:06 21 20:50
2027 20 20:25 21 14:11 23 06:02 22 02:43
2028 20 02:17 20 20:02 22 11:45 21 08:20
2029 20 08:01 21 01:48 22 17:37 21 14:14
Winter solstice
At the Lawrence Hall of Science in California, visitors observe sunset on the day of the winter solstice using the Sunstones II.
Also calledthe Longest Night
Observed byVarious cultures
TypeCultural, astronomical
SignificanceAstronomically marks the beginning of lengthening days and shortening nights
CelebrationsFestivals, spending time with loved ones, feasting, singing, dancing, fires
Dateabout December 21 (NH)
about June 21 (SH)
FrequencyTwice a year (once in the northern hemisphere, once in the southern hemisphere, six months apart)
Related toWinter festivals and the solstice

The winter solstice, also called the hiemal solstice, hibernal solstice, and brumal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, when the Sun is at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky.[7] Either pole experiences continuous darkness or twilight around its winter solstice. The opposite event is the summer solstice. Depending on the hemisphere's winter solstice, at the Tropic of Cancer or Capricorn, the Sun reaches 90° below the observer's horizon at solar midnight, to the nadir.

The winter solstice occurs during the hemisphere's winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the December solstice (usually December 21 or 22) and in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice (usually June 20 or 21). Although the winter solstice itself lasts only a moment, the term sometimes refers to the day on which it occurs. Other names are the "extreme of winter" (Dongzhi), or the "shortest day". Since the 18th century, the term "midwinter" has sometimes been used synonymously with the winter solstice, although it carries other meanings as well. Traditionally, in many temperate regions, the winter solstice is seen as the middle of winter, but today in some countries and calendars, it is seen as the beginning of winter.

Since prehistory, the winter solstice has been seen as a significant time of year in many cultures, and has been marked by festivals and rituals.[8] It marked the symbolic death and rebirth of the Sun.[9][10][11] The seasonal significance of the winter solstice is in the reversal of the gradual lengthening of nights and shortening of days.

History and cultural significance

Japanese Sun goddess Amaterasu emerging from a cave (by Kunisada)
Winter solstice occurs in December for the northern hemisphere, and June for the southern hemisphere.

The solstice may have been a special moment of the annual cycle for some cultures even during Neolithic times. Astronomical events were often used to guide activities, such as the mating of animals, the sowing of crops and the monitoring of winter reserves of food. Many cultural mythologies and traditions are derived from this.

This is attested by physical remains in the layouts of late Neolithic and Bronze Age archaeological sites, such as Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland. The primary axes of both of these monuments seem to have been carefully aligned on a sight-line pointing to the winter solstice sunrise (Newgrange) and the winter solstice sunset (Stonehenge). It is significant that at Stonehenge the Great Trilithon was oriented outwards from the middle of the monument, i.e. its smooth flat face was turned towards the midwinter Sun.[12]

The winter solstice was immensely important because the people were economically dependent on monitoring the progress of the seasons. Starvation was common during the first months of the winter, January to April (northern hemisphere) or July to October (southern hemisphere), also known as "the famine months". In temperate climates, the midwinter festival was the last feast celebration, before deep winter began. Most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter, so it was almost the only time of year when a plentiful supply of fresh meat was available.[13] The majority of wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking at this time. The concentration of the observances were not always on the day commencing at midnight or at dawn, but at the beginning of the pagan day, which in many cultures fell on the previous eve.[citation needed]

Because the event was seen as the reversal of the Sun's ebbing presence in the sky, concepts of the birth or rebirth of sun gods have been common. [citation needed] In cultures which used cyclic calendars based on the winter solstice, the "year as reborn" was celebrated with reference to life-death-rebirth deities or "new beginnings" such as Hogmanay's redding, a New Year cleaning tradition. [citation needed] Also "reversal" is yet another frequent theme, as in Saturnalia's slave and master reversals.

Indian

Main article: Makar Sankranti

Makara Sankranti, also known as Makaraa Sankrānti (Sanskrit: मकर संक्रांति) or Maghi, is a festival day in the Hindu calendar, in reference to deity Surya (sun). It is observed each year in January.[14] It marks the first day of Sun's transit into Makara (Capricorn), marking the end of the month with the winter solstice and the start of longer days.[14][15] In India, this occasion, known as Ayan Parivartan (Sanskrit: अयन परिवर्तन), is celebrated by religious Hindus as a holy day, with Hindus performing customs such as bathing in holy rivers, giving alms and donations, praying to deities and doing other holy deeds.

Iranian

Main article: Yaldā Night

Iranian people celebrate the night of the Northern Hemisphere's winter solstice as, "Yalda night", which is known to be the "longest and darkest night of the year". Yalda night celebration, or as some call it "Shabe Chelleh" ("the 40th night"), is one of the oldest Iranian traditions that has been present in Persian culture from ancient times. In this night all the family gather together, usually at the house of the eldest, and celebrate it by eating, drinking and reciting poetry (esp. Hafez). Nuts, pomegranates and watermelons are particularly served during this festival.

East Asian

Main article: Dongzhi (solar term)
Sunlight directed through the 17 arches of Seventeen Arch Bridge, Summer Palace, Beijing around winter solstice

In East Asia, the winter solstice has been celebrated as one of the Twenty-four Solar Terms, called Dongzhi in Chinese. In Japan, in order not to catch cold in the winter, there is a custom to soak oneself in a yuzu hot bath (Japanese: 柚子湯 = Yuzuyu).[16]

Judaic

An Aggadic legend found in tractate Avodah Zarah 8a puts forth the talmudic hypothesis that Adam first established the tradition of fasting before the winter solstice, and rejoicing afterward, which festival later developed into the Roman Saturnalia and Kalendae.[citation needed]

Germanic

Main article: Yule

The pagan Scandinavian and Germanic people of northern Europe celebrate a winter holiday called Yule (also called Jul, Julblot, jólablót). The Heimskringla, written in the 13th century by the Icelander Snorri Sturluson, describes a Yule feast hosted by the Norwegian king Haakon the Good (c. 920–961). According to Snorri, the Christian Haakon had moved Yule from "midwinter" and aligned it with the Christian Christmas celebration. Historically, this has made some scholars believe that Yule originally was a sun festival on the winter solstice. Modern scholars generally do not believe this, as midwinter in medieval Iceland was a date about four weeks after the solstice.[17]

Celtic

Prior to the arrival of Christianity, the Celtic people of Britain celebrated Yule in a similar fashion to the Germanic festival. It is alleged that Celtic Druids began the tradition of the Yule Log, with the intention of driving out darkness, evil spirits, and poor luck in the following year.[18] The Yule Log was intended to be kept alight over the entire solstice period, twelve days over which the sun was believed to stand still. The log being extinguished symbolised poor luck in the following year. Additionally, evergreen plants were used in decoration - of key significance are "The Holly and the Ivy", used in decoration, and Mistletoe, suspended over a doorway in a token gesture of goodwill to all who passed under it. These traditions have been adopted into the Christian winter celebrations, symbolised by a mistletoe wreath placed on the front door to a building.[19]

Roman cult of Sol

Main article: Dies Natalis Solis Invicti

Sol Invictus ("The Unconquered Sun/Invincible Sun") was originally a Syrian god who was later adopted as the chief god of the Roman Empire under Emperor Aurelian.[20] His holiday is traditionally celebrated on December 25, as are several gods associated with the winter solstice in many pagan traditions.[21] It has been speculated to be the reason behind Christmas' proximity to the solstice.[22]

Observations

Sunlight entering the Passage Tomb during sunrise of the Winter Solstice in Newgrange, Ireland

Although the instant of the solstice can be calculated,[23] direct observation of the solstice by amateurs is impossible because the Sun moves too slowly or appears to stand still (the meaning of "solstice"). However, by use of astronomical data tracking, the precise timing of its occurrence is now public knowledge. One cannot directly detect the precise instant of the solstice (by definition, one cannot observe that an object has stopped moving until one later observes that it has not moved further from the preceding spot, or that it has moved in the opposite direction). Furthermore, to be precise to a single day, one must be able to observe a change in azimuth or elevation less than or equal to about 1/60 of the angular diameter of the Sun. Observing that it occurred within a two-day period is easier, requiring an observation precision of only about 1/16 of the angular diameter of the Sun. Thus, many observations are of the day of the solstice rather than the instant. This is often done by observing sunrise and sunset or using an astronomically aligned instrument that allows a ray of light to be cast on a certain point around that time. The earliest sunset and latest sunrise dates differ from winter solstice, however, and these depend on latitude, due to the variation in the solar day throughout the year caused by the Earth's elliptical orbit (see earliest and latest sunrise and sunset).

  • Neolithic site of Goseck circle in Germany. The yellow lines indicate the directions in which sunrise and sunset are seen on the day of the winter solstice.
    Neolithic site of Goseck circle in Germany. The yellow lines indicate the directions in which sunrise and sunset are seen on the day of the winter solstice.
  • Sunrise at Stonehenge in southern England on the winter solstice
    Sunrise at Stonehenge in southern England on the winter solstice

Holidays celebrated on the winter solstice

Length of the day near the northern winter solstice

The following tables contain information on the length of the day on December 22nd, close to the winter solstice of the Northern Hemisphere and the summer solstice of the Southern Hemisphere (i.e. December solstice). The data was collected from the website of the Finnish Meteorological Institute on 22 December 2015, as well as from certain other websites.[24][25][26][27][28][29]

The data is arranged geographically and within the tables from the shortest day to the longest one.

The Nordic countries, Russia, and the Baltic states
City Sunrise
21 Dec 2022 		Sunset
21 Dec 2022 		Length of the day
Russia Murmansk — — 0 min
Russia Apatity — — 0 min
Norway Bodø 11:35 12:24 49 min
Finland Rovaniemi 11:07 13:22 2 h 15 min
Sweden Luleå 9:54 13:03 3 h 9 min
Iceland Reykjavík 11:21 15:29 4 h 8 min
Norway Trondheim 10:01 14:31 4 h 30 min
Faroe Islands Tórshavn 9:50 14:59 5 h 9 min
Finland Helsinki 9:23 15:12 5 h 49 min
Norway Oslo 9:17 15:11 5 h 54 min
Estonia Tallinn 9:17 15:20 6 h 3 min
Sweden Stockholm 8:43 14:47 6 h 4 min
Latvia Riga 8:59 15:43 6 h 44 min
Denmark Copenhagen 8:36 15:38 7 h 2 min
Lithuania Vilnius 8:39 15:53 7 h 14 min
Europe
City Sunrise
22 Dec 2015 		Sunset
22 Dec 2015 		Length of the day
Russia Saint Petersburg 10:00 15:53 5 h 53 min
United Kingdom Edinburgh 8:42 15:40 6 h 57 min
Russia Moscow 8:57 15:58 7 h 00 min
Germany Berlin 8:15 15:54 7 h 39 min
Poland Warsaw 7:43 15:25 7 h 42 min
United Kingdom London 8:04 15:53 7 h 49 min
Ukraine Kyiv 7:56 15:56 8 h 00 min
France Paris 8:41 16:56 8 h 14 min
Austria Vienna 7:42 16:03 8 h 20 min
Hungary Budapest 7:28 15:55 8 h 26 min
Italy Rome 7:34 16:42 9 h 07 min
Spain Madrid 8:34 17:51 9 h 17 min
Portugal Lisbon 7:51 17:18 9 h 27 min
Greece Athens 7:37 17:09 9 h 31 min
Africa
City Sunrise
22 Dec 2015 		Sunset
22 Dec 2015 		Length of the day
Egypt Cairo 6:47 16:59 10 h 12 min
Spain Tenerife 7:53 18:13 10 h 19 min
Senegal Dakar 7:30 18:46 11 h 15 min
Ethiopia Addis Ababa 6:35 18:11 11 h 36 min
Kenya Nairobi 6:25 18:37 12 h 11 min
Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa 5:45 18:08 12 h 22 min
Tanzania Dar es Salaam 6:05 18:36 12 h 31 min
Angola Luanda 5:46 18:24 12 h 38 min
Madagascar Antananarivo 5:10 18:26 13 h 16 min
Namibia Windhoek 6:04 19:35 13 h 31 min
South Africa Johannesburg 5:12 18:59 13 h 47 min
South Africa Cape Town 5:32 19:57 14 h 25 min
Middle East
City Sunrise
22 Dec 2015 		Sunset
22 Dec 2015 		Length of the day
Iran Tehran 7:10 16:55 9 h 44 min
Lebanon Beirut 6:39 16:33 9 h 54 min
Iraq Baghdad 7:02 16:59 9 h 57 min
Israel Jerusalem 6:35 16:39 10 h 04 min
Bahrain Manama 6:21 16:51 10 h 30 min
Qatar Doha 6:15 16:49 10 h 34 min
United Arab Emirates Dubai 7:00 17:34 10 h 34 min
Saudi Arabia Riyadh 6:32 17:10 10 h 37 min
Oman Muscat 6:43 17:23 10 h 41 min
Yemen Sana'a 6:25 17:38 11 h 13 min
Americas
City Sunrise
22 Dec 2015 		Sunset
22 Dec 2015 		Length of the day
Canada Inuvik — — 0 h
United States Fairbanks 10:58 14:40 3 h 41 min
Greenland Nuuk 10:22 14:28 4 h 06 min
United States Anchorage 10:14 15:42 5 h 27 min
Canada Edmonton 8:48 16:15 7 h 27 min
Canada Vancouver 8:05 16:16 8 h 11 min
United States Seattle 7:55 16:20 8 h 25 min
Canada Ottawa 7:39 16:22 8 h 42 min
Canada Toronto 7:48 16:43 8 h 55 min
United States New York City 7:16 16:32 9 h 15 min
United States Washington, D.C. 7:23 16:49 9 h 26 min
United States Los Angeles 6:55 16:48 9 h 53 min
United States Dallas 7:25 17:25 9 h 59 min
United States Miami 7:03 17:35 10 h 31 min
United States Honolulu 7:04 17:55 10 h 50 min
Mexico Mexico City 7:06 18:03 10 h 57 min
Nicaragua Managua 6:01 17:26 11 h 24 min
Colombia Bogotá 5:59 17:50 11 h 51 min
Ecuador Quito 6:08 18:16 12 h 08 min
Brazil Recife 5:00 17:35 12 h 35 min
Peru Lima 5:41 18:31 12 h 50 min
Bolivia La Paz 5:57 19:04 13 h 06 min
Brazil Rio de Janeiro 6:04 19:37 13 h 33 min
Brazil São Paulo 6:17 19:52 13 h 35 min
United States Salt Lake City 7:48 17:03 9 h 14 min
Brazil Porto Alegre 6:20 20:25 14 h 05 min
Chile Santiago 6:29 20:52 14 h 22 min
Argentina Buenos Aires 5:37 20:06 14 h 28 min
Argentina Ushuaia 4:51 22:11 17 h 19 min
Asia-Pacific
City Sunrise
22 Dec 2015 		Sunset
22 Dec 2015 		Length of the day
Russia Magadan 8:54 14:55 6 h 00 min
Russia Petropavlovsk 9:36 17:10 7 h 33 min
Russia Khabarovsk 8:48 17:07 8 h 18 min
Mongolia Ulaanbaatar 8:39 17:02 8 h 22 min
Russia Vladivostok 8:40 17:40 8 h 59 min
China Beijing 7:32 16:52 9 h 20 min
South Korea Seoul 7:44 17:17 9 h 34 min
Japan Tokyo 6:47 16:31 9 h 44 min
China Shanghai 6:48 16:55 10 h 07 min
China Lhasa 8:46 19:01 10 h 14 min
India Delhi 7:09 17:28 10 h 19 min
Hong Kong Hong Kong 6:58 17:44 10 h 46 min
Philippines Manila 6:16 17:32 11 h 15 min
Thailand Bangkok 6:36 17:55 11 h 19 min
Singapore Singapore 7:01 19:04 12 h 03 min
Indonesia Jakarta 5:36 18:05 12 h 28 min
Indonesia Denpasar 5:58 18:36 12 h 37 min
Australia Darwin 6:19 19:10 12 h 51 min
French Polynesia Papeete 5:21 18:32 13 h 10 min
Australia Brisbane 4:49 18:42 13 h 52 min
Australia Perth 5:07 19:22 14 h 14 min
Australia Sydney 5:41 20:05 14 h 24 min
New Zealand Auckland 5:58 20:39 14 h 41 min
Australia Melbourne 5:54 20:42 14 h 47 min
New Zealand Dunedin 5:43 21:28 15 h 44 min
New Zealand Invercargill 5:50 21:39 15 h 48 min

Length of day increases from the equator towards the South Pole in the Southern Hemisphere in December (around the summer solstice there), but decreases towards the North Pole in the Northern Hemisphere at the time of the northern winter solstice.

See also

References

  1. ^ Astronomical Applications Department of USNO. "Earth's Seasons - Equinoxes, Solstices, Perihelion, and Aphelion". Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  2. ^ "Solstices and Equinoxes: 2001 to 2100". AstroPixels.com. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
  3. ^ Équinoxe de printemps entre 1583 et 2999
  4. ^ Solstice d’été de 1583 à 2999
  5. ^ Équinoxe d’automne de 1583 à 2999
  6. ^ Solstice d’hiver
  7. ^ Shipman, James; Wilson, Jerry D.; Todd, Aaron (2007). "Section 15.5". An Introduction to Physical Science (12th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p. 423. ISBN 978-0-618-92696-1.
  8. ^ "Winter Solstice celebrations: a.k.a. Christmas, Saturnalia, Yule, the Long Night, start of Winter, etc". Religious Tolerance.org. August 5, 2015 [December 3, 1999].
  9. ^ Krupp, E C. Echoes of the Ancient Skies: The Astronomy of Lost Civilizations. Courier Corporation, 2012. pp. 119, 125, 195
  10. ^ North, John. Stonehenge. The Free Press, 1996. p. 530
  11. ^ Hadingham, Evan. Early Man and the Cosmos. University of Oklahoma Press, 1985. p. 50
  12. ^ Johnson, Anthony (2008). Solving Stonehenge: The New Key to an Ancient Enigma. Thames & Hudson. pp. 252–253. ISBN 978-0500051559.
  13. ^ "History of Christmas". History.com. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  14. ^ a b Kamal Kumar Tumuluru (2015). Hindu Prayers, Gods and Festivals. Partridge. p. 30. ISBN 978-1-4828-4707-9.
  15. ^ James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A - M. Rosen Publishing Group. p. 411. ISBN 978-0-8239-2287-1.
  16. ^ Goin’ Japanesque!: Japanese Winter Solstice Traditions; A Day for Kabocha and Yuzuyu
  17. ^ Nordberg, Andreas (2006). Jul, disting och förkyrklig tideräkning: Kalendrar och kalendariska riter i det förkristna Norden. Acta Academiae Regiae Gustavi Adolphi (in Swedish). Vol. 91. Kungl. Gustav Adolfs Akademien för svensk folkkultur. pp. 120–121. ISBN 91-85352-62-4. ISSN 0065-0897.
  18. ^ Religions - Paganism
  19. ^ Earth Spirit - Winter Solstice
  20. ^ Clauss, Manfred (2001). Die römischen Kaiser : 55 historische Portraits von Caesar bis Iustinian (in German). München: Beck. p. 250. ISBN 978-3-406-47288-6.
  21. ^ Capoccia, Kathryn (2002). "Christmas Traditions". Retrieved 2008-12-27.
  22. ^ Bishop Jacob Bar-Salabi (cited in Christianity and Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries, Ramsay MacMullen. Yale:1997, p. 155)
  23. ^ Meeus, Jean (2009). Astronomical Algorithms (2nd English Edition with corrections as of August 10, 2009 ed.). Richmond, Virginia: Willmann-Bell, Inc. ISBN 978-0-943396-61-3.
  24. ^ "Paikallissää Helsinki" [‘Local weather in Helsinki’] (in Finnish). Finnish Meteorological Institute. 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-22.
  25. ^ "Perth, Australia". Retrieved 2015-12-22.
  26. ^ "São Paulo, Brazil". Retrieved 2015-12-22.
  27. ^ "Denpasar, Indonesia". Retrieved 2015-12-22.
  28. ^ "Edmonton, Canada". Retrieved 2019-12-21.
  29. ^ "Inuvik, Canada". Retrieved 2020-12-19. "Saint-Petersburg, Russia". Retrieved 2024-06-16.

Further reading

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