When is the shortest day of the year?
The winter solstice signals the shortest day of the year. As we draw closer to Christmas and winter sets in, our days become shorter and darker.
But when is the shortest day of the year and what is the meaning behind it? Keep reading for everything you need to know about winter solstice 2024:
When is the shortest day of the year?
The shortest day of the year falls on Saturday 21st December 2024. This date marks the day in the year with the fewest hours of daylight.
"The winter solstice occurs for us once per year, usually on the 21st or 22nd of December. On this day, the Sun follows its shallowest path across the sky, giving us the shortest daylight hours of the year," Jake Foster, Public Astronomy Officer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, tells Country Living.
Why do we have the winter solstice?
According to the RMG, winter solstice occurs when the sun's position is lower and its time in the sky is shorter.
"Since the Earth is leaning over at an angle of 23.5 degrees, sometimes the northern hemisphere will be tilted towards the sun and sometimes it will be tilted away," says Jake.
"The winter solstice occurs in the northern hemisphere when this part of the Earth is at its maximum tilt away from the Sun. At the exact same moment, the southern hemisphere will be experiencing its summer solstice, with maximum tilt towards the sun."
How long is the shortest day of the year?
The shortest day of the year lasts 7 hours and 49 minutes. This is 8 hours and 49 minutes shorter than the summer solstice. On the shortest day, the sun will set at 3:56 pm.
"The sun rises and sets at slightly different times depending on where you are in the UK, so that's worth bearing in mind," says Josh. "It's also the longest night of the year and the perfect opportunity for a bit of stargazing."
How is the winter solstice celebrated?
The winter solstice is celebrated in many ways around the world.
"It's difficult to trace the celebration of the winter solstice back to its roots, though there is evidence to suggest that it may have been seen as significant as far back as the early Neolithic period several thousand years ago," says Jake.
In the UK, people gather at stone circles, like Stonehenge, to mark the shortest day of the year. The occasion is also marked by traditional rituals like brewing mulled cider and eating winter solstice foods to keep bad spirits away.
"Prehistoric monuments like Stonehenge have been shown to mark the position of the sunset on the winter solstice, meaning that the yearly event has clearly been important to humans for at least 5000 years."
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