CCLVI Calendar – Interctive

Today is the Winter Solstice in th northern hemisphere. For good reason, it is also known as the Longest Night or Shortest Day of the year.

It occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice a year, once in the northern and the southern hemispheres. The winter solstice is a unique day of the year- it has the shortest time of daylight and longest night. Either pole experiences continuous darkness or twilight around its winter solstice.

It was/is also recognized as the midwinter festival from early societies and as a religious holiday in several faiths.

Regarding the tilt of the earth,  the Summer Solstice is the opposite event of the Winter Solstice.

Location Matters!  The winter solstice occurs during the hemisphere's winter. Therefore, for  the Northern Hemisphere, it is the December solstice (usually December 21 or 22) and for the Southern, it is the June solstice (usually June 20 or 21). Becuase our seasons are reversed by hemisphere, when the northern has summer solstice, that will be winter solstice in the southern hemisphere!