Winter Solstice_Northern Hemisphere_2018 Observed

Today we celebrate the first day of winter and the longest night of the year for the Northern Hemisphere, also known as the Winter Solstice. As our earth circles the sun, the North Pole angles farthest away from the sun today on December 21.

Today you can find the sun at its lowest position throughout the Northern Hemisphere sky. People around the world have celebrated this astronomical milestone for centuries. 

In Ireland, people gather days before the solstice at Newgrange – a massive gravesite that’s more than 5,000 years old. Crowds selected by lottery wait for a chance to see the sunrise light up the ancient passage tomb.  

At Stonehenge, crowds of people come together to celebrate and capture the moment when the sun directly aligns with the famous stones. 

In China, locals refer to the Winter Solstice as Dongzhi Festival, a celebration of winter’s arrival. Locals enjoy rice balls called tang yuan, which translates to “family reunion.” This treat is said to bring prosperity and unity—something all of us can enjoy on this auspicious day.

Happy Winter Solstice, Northern Hemisphere!

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Winter Solstice (Southern Hemisphere) 2018

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Winter (Northern Hemisphere) Solstice 2017

As 2017 slowly winds to a close, you may have noticed the sun beginning to set earlier and earlier, and you’re right! As the seasons begin to change, so too does the earth’s allocation of daylight.

December 21st marks the 2017 winter solstice, as well as the first day of winter on the astronomical calendar. On this day, the tilt of the earth’s North Pole is at its farthest from the sun, resulting in the shortest day and the longest night of the calendar year.

Though most refer to the solstice as an entire day, in reality, the solstice is defined as a single moment: when the sun is directly above the Tropic of Capricorn. This year, that moment will occur at 16:28 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). After this point in time, periods of daylight will once again begin to grow longer.

Happy winter!

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Winter Solstice ( Northern Hemisphere ) 2017
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Winter Solstice (Southern Hemisphere) 2017

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