Longest night of the year coming this week. What to know about winter solstice
Don't blink or you'll miss it.
The winter solstice of 2023 arrives Thursday, December 21. But what exactly is the solstice, should we care and does it really mean anything?
We have those answers.
What is the winter solstice?
The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere, it occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn.
It also marks the beginning of astronomical winter, which differs from meteorological winter.
Astronomical seasons begin and end at solstices and equinoxes. Meteorological seasons are generally how we describe seasons, with winter running from December through February.
When does winter begin? Depends on which season you mean: astronomical or meteorological
When is winter solstice 2023?
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, people often think the winter solstice is a day-long event, but the solstice actually lasts only a moment.
"Specifically, it’s the exact moment when a hemisphere is tilted as far away from the sun as possible," the Almanac said.
That will occur Dec. 21, at 10:27 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, according to the National Weather Service.
See exact time of winter solstice at your location
Solstices are reversed in North and South Hemispheres
While we'll be marking the winter solstice Thursday, in the Southern Hemisphere, Dec. 21 marks the summer solstice, which means they'll be enjoying their longest day of the year and shortest night.
Is the winter solstice always on the same date?
No. The winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere usually falls on either Dec. 21 or Dec. 22. The exact date changes by a few days each year because of our calendar system.
While we count a year as 365 days, with 366 days on leap years — which happens in 2024 — the earth actually takes 365.256 days to complete one orbit around the sun, according to NASA.
How can you see the difference between the winter and summer solstice?
The Old Farmer's Almanac suggested doing this to see the difference between the winter and summer solstices:
On the day of the solstice, stand outside at noon and look at your shadow. It’s the longest shadow you’ll cast all year. Take a picture so you'll remember.
Do it again during the summer solstice — on June 20, 2024 — and compare the difference. During the summer solstice, you’ll see almost no shadow.
Where does the word solstice come from?
The word solstice may seem awkward but it originates from the Latin sol, which means sun, and sistere, which means to stand still.
"So, loosely translated, it means “sun stands still,” according to the Old Farmers Almanac. "The sun’s path across the sky appears to freeze for a few days before and after the solstice."
See sunrise and sunset times for your location.
Winter solstice celebrations today and in the past
Monuments, such as Newgrange in Ireland and Maeshowe in Scotland, are aligned with sunrise on the winter solstice, according to History.com.
"Some archaeologists have theorized that these tomb-like structures served a religious purpose in which Stone Age people held rituals to capture the sun on the year’s shortest day.
"Stonehenge, which is oriented toward the winter solstice sunset, may also have been a place of December rituals."
Ancient Romans held several celebrations around the time of the winter solstice. Saturnalia, a holiday honoring Saturn, the god of agriculture, was a weeklong celebration in the days leading up to the winter solstice, according to History.com.
You can still find winter solstice celebrations around the world today, including at Stonehenge and the Winter Solstice Lantern Festival in Vancouver, British Columbia.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Winter Solstice 2023: Date, meaning, shortest Florida day celebrations
