What is the winter solstice?
Q: What is the winter solstice?
A: The winter solstice is the time when the sun has the biggest distance to the Tropic of Cancer. It is also the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, which has the longest night and is called the Winter Solstice.
Q: When does it occur?
A: For the northern hemisphere, it occurs around 21 December and for southern hemisphere it occurs around 21 June.
Q: Where does sunlight reach on each day of a year?
A: On each day of a year, sunlight reaches at an angle perpendicular to a given latitude. At start of spring and autumn, it passes over equator while on June Solstice it passes over Tropic of Cancer at 23.5 degrees north and on December Solstice it passes over Tropic of Capricorn at 23.5 degrees south.
Q: What does 'solstice' mean?
A: The word 'solstice' comes from Latin words 'Sol' meaning sun and 'sistere' meaning to not move, so winter solstice means Sun standstill in winter.
Q: How does Earth revolve around Sun?
A: Earth revolves around Sun in an elliptical way, with point from where sun is shining moving between Tropic of Capricorn and Tropic of Cancer.
Q: When was Gregorian calendar introduced?
A: Gregorian calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582.
Q: Why is Winter Solstice celebrated?
A:Winter Solstice is celebrated since 1582 when Gregorian calendar was introduced as this marks longest night and shortest day for Northern Hemisphere while for Southern Hemisphere this marks longest day with shortest night
