The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year. This year, it will fall on Wednesday, December 21. The phenomenon, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs once a year in each hemisphere – North and South.
Here's all you need to know about winter solstice:
1.) It happens when one of the Earth's poles is far away from the Sun. During the winter solstice, the nights are the longest. After that, however, days began to grow longer until the summer solstice.
2.) This year, India will experience its shortest day on December 22 and the solstice will occur at 8.57 am.
3.) During the winter solstice, the sun is at its lowest point in the sky.
4.) Astronomically speaking, the winter solstice is meant to mark the beginning of the winter season. In many countries, however, this date falls in the middle of winter.
5.) The word solstice is derived from the Latin word solstitium, where “sol” means Sun and “stitium” means to stop.
6.) During the solstice, the northern hemisphere receives only 8 hours and 46 minutes of daylight.
7.) The winter solstice is significant in many cultures, since it marks the symbolic death and rebirth of the Sun. Since ancient times, this day has been marked with rituals and festivities.
8.) Ancient monuments like Stonehenge are aligned with the sunrise or sunset on the winter solstice.
9.) In the past, dependence on agriculture also played a role in the importance of winter solstice, since it was usually the last ‘feast’ before deep winter began.
10.) The situation is reversed during the summer solstice in June. It creates summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern hemisphere.
Read more: Pakistani student says Earth is stationary & the sun, moon revolve around it. Viral video
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