As the calendar pages turn towards the final chapter of 2023, the world prepares to witness the shortest day of the year, known as the winter solstice. Tomorrow, December 22nd, will mark this celestial event, bringing winter to the northern hemisphere and signaling the beginning of summer in the southern hemisphere.
The term “solstice” finds its roots in the Latin words “sol,” meaning sun, and “sistere,” which translates to “to come to a stop or make stand.” This astronomical phenomenon occurs as the tilt of the Earth’s axis reaches a point where one hemisphere experiences the shortest day and the other the longest night.
According to astronomical calculations, December 23rd will host the longest night of the year. On this day, the sun is expected to rise at 6:59 AM, casting its rays for 10 hours until it sets at 5:10 PM. This means a night that stretches beyond 14 hours, creating a unique celestial spectacle.
Notably, the duration of day and night will be equal on March 21 and 22, 2024, as the Earth’s axis continues its journey around the sun. From June 22nd to December 22nd, the days progressively shorten by 80 seconds each day. During this period, daylight wraps up in just 10 hours, leaving the night to extend for 14 hours.
Conversely, from December 22nd to June 21st, the days gradually lengthen by 45 seconds daily, leading up to the summer solstice. As we bid farewell to the sunlit days of 2023, the celestial dance continues, marking the cyclical nature of our planet’s journey around the sun.
