Why winter solstice matters around the world

Why winter solstice matters around the world

Subject: Geography

Context:

it’s not yet winter. According to the astronomical definition, the season will officially begin in the Northern Hemisphere on Dec. 21, 2022: the shortest day of the year, known as the winter solstice.

What is the winter solstice?

• It is also called the hibernal solstice.
• It occurs when either of Earth’s poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun.
• This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern).
• For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year, when the Sun is at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky.
• Either pole experiences continuous darkness or twilight around its winter solstice.
• The opposite event is the summer solstice.
• The winter solstice occurs during the hemisphere’s winter.
• In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the December solstice (usually the 21st or 22nd of December) and in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice (usually the 20th or 21st of June).

Ancient astronomy:

• Since prehistory, the winter solstice has been a significant time of year in many cultures and has been marked by festivals and rituals.
• It marked the symbolic death and rebirth of the Sun; the gradual waning of daylight hours is reversed and begins to grow again.
• Some ancient monuments such as Newgrange, Stonehenge, and Cahokia Woodhenge are aligned with the sunrise or sunset on the winter solstice.

Seasons:

• Seasons are specified periods in a year which have similar weather conditions.
• Season is a period of the year characterized by a particular set of weather conditions resulting from the inclination of the earth’s axis and the revolution of the earth around the sun.
• The same cycle of the season is repeated year after year.
• Four seasons, each of three months duration have been recognized in temperate regions.
• They are spring, summer, autumn and winter.
• In our country, we have three distinct seasons which are summer, winter and monsoons.
• The Indian Meteorological Department has recognized four main seasons.
• They are

1. Cold weather season (December to February.)
2. Hot weather seasons (March to May)
3. Advancing monsoon season or rainy season (June to September.)
4. Retreating monsoon season (October to November.)

• The rays of the sun are more or less direct on the equator throughout the year. Hence, equatorial regions experience the same temperature all the year round. Therefore, seasons are insignificant on or near the equator.
• Near the coast, the oceanic influence reduces the seasonal variations.
• In the polar regions, there are only two seasons i.e. long winter and short summer.