Happy Solstice to you! Daylight is at a premium today so get out and enjoy it because Winter officially arrives at 11:28am this morning.
Did you know?
- The December solstice marks the exact moment when the sun’s most direct rays reach their southernmost point south of the equator, along the Tropic of Capricorn, at 23.5 degrees south latitude.
- The reason we have a solstice — and seasons — is because the Earth is tilted on its axis of rotation by about 23.5 degrees. This tilt causes each hemisphere to receive different amounts of sunlight throughout the year as our planet orbits the sun.
- The word “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol sistere, which means “sun standing still.” On the December solstice, the sun’s daily southward movement in the sky appears to pause, and we see the sun rise and set at its southernmost points on the horizon before reversing direction.
- Each year, the winter solstice is marked by cultural festivals and pagan celebrations in different parts of the world. The most famous celebration takes place at the historic Stonehenge monument in England, and smaller celebrations are held in some cities and towns across the United States and Canada.
- Some Australians commemorate their winter solstice (in June) by taking a nude dip into the Derwent River, which tends to be frigid at that time of the year. In the past, the winter solstice was celebrated by Celtic priests, known as the Druids, in Britain, according to the Daily Express in London. Those celebrations took place "long before the arrival of Christianity," the publication says.
