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Holiday Countdown

Day 21: Solstice

Author: Sandra Martinez, staff assistant at the Museum.

A snowy field with trees off to the side. The sun sits on the horizon in the background.

Winter solstice sunrise.

What is a solstice?

Solstices occur when Earth’s axis is tilted a certain degree relative to Earth’s orbit around the sun. This tilt is the reason we have seasons. For summer, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted more towards the sun. For winter, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away. The Southern Hemisphere’s season are reversed. Someone on the Northern hemisphere will experience a different solstice from someone in the southern hemisphere. 

The summer and winter solstice

The summer solstice is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. During this time, the North Pole is 23.4 degrees towards the sun and the sun appears at its highest elevation with a noontime position that changes very little for several days before and after the summer solstice. 

An illustration of the earth with sunlight on the left side with the earth's northern hemisphere tilted toward the sunlight.

Illustration of the summer solstice.

 

The winter solstice is the first day of astronomical winter and it is the shortest day of the year. The Earth’s axis will be the farthest away from the sun.

An illustration of the earth with sunlight on the left side with the earth's northern hemisphere tilted away from the sunlight.

Illustration of the winter solstice.

 

Winter solstice celebrations 

There are many winter solstice celebrations around the world. For example, there is Soyal, the winter solstice celebration of Zuni and Hopi peoples. As well, the Dongzhi Festival is a Chinese celebration of the winter solstice and arrival of more daylight. 

Image Credits:

  • Winter Solstice Sunrise @ 10:31. MikoFox ⌘ Photography. Flickr.
  • Illumination of Earth by the Sun on the day of the  summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. Przemyslaw “Blueshade” Idzkiewicz. Wikimedia Commons.
  • Illumination of Earth by the Sun on the day of the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. Przemyslaw “Blueshade” Idzkiewicz. Wikimedia Commons.