Thursday Thirteen #23: 13 Things about the winter solstice

Dec 20, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #23: 13 Things about the winter solstice

Filed in Blog

This is written from the perspective of somebody in the northern hemisphere.

The winter solstice in 2007 occurs at 06:09 Universal Time on 22nd December. For me (California), that translates to 22:09 on the 21st of December.
The day of the winter solstice is (usually) the shortest day of the year. (Usually? If, say, the solstice happens to fall at, say, 00:01 local time, the day before will be the shortest day.)
The Earth rotates around the sun once every year. The Earth itself rotates once a day at an angle of about 23.44 degrees relative to the orbital plane, or ecliptic. This angle is called the obliquity of the ecliptic and is what creates the seasons. At the winter solstice, the sun appears as far south as it will go, and then starts to appear to tilt to the north again until the summer solstice.
The term “solstice” means “the sun stands still.” The sun will appear to hover at the southernmost point of its (apparent) descent before starting an (apparent) reversal towards the north.
When measured in minutes, there is no real change for about a week either side of the solstice. Only when one measures in seconds does one see the difference.
Ancient site Stonehenge is configured so that it perfectly marks the two solstices: summer and winter. Ancient site Newgrange is configured so that the sun’s rays shine deep into its heart in the winter solstice. One can add one’s name to a lottery for a chance to be inside Newgrange at this magical time.
In the Southern Hemisphere, this is the longest day.
Here in Lodi, sunrise is at 07:18 local time and sunset is at 16:49. The day’s length is nine hours and 31 minutes.
In Inverness, the nearest town to where my parents live that I could find on Weather Underground, sunrise of the 22nd, because UT is the same as UK time, is at 08:57 and sunset is 15:31. The day’s length is six hours and 34 minutes.
At the north pole, the sun never rises. In fact, it hasn’t risen since October, and won’t rise again until March. Brr.
In Canberra, capital of Australia, sunrise on the 22nd is at 05:35 and sunset is at 20:17. The day’s length is fourteen hours and 32 minutes.

I know! Let’s all spend Christmas in Australia!
The solstice is also known as Yule, especially among pagans, and is a festival for celebrating the return of the light. Yule logs used to be made from wood, but are, these days, equally likely to be made from chocolate.

You will find all sorts of interesting facts over at Candle Grove.
For anyone into astrology, the sun passes into Capricorn at the moment of the winter solstice.

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44 Comments, Comment or Ping

Celticangel (1 comments.)

Did you know that you can watch the Solstice at Newgrange online? Here is the link: http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/Solstice2007/

Have a Happy TT and a good Solstice.

Dec 20th, 2007
jehara (1 comments.)

i like this one! i prefer summer solstice because it’s the longest day, which means lots of sunshine, even though i know that all the days will be getting shorter afterwards. . .

Dec 20th, 2007
Dee (1 comments.)

Great info!!

I was just thinking about what we might do this weekend… I think you’ve given me an idea… Celebrate!

Dec 20th, 2007
pussreboots (158 comments.)

My son and I were talking about the solstice this morning. Happy TT. I’m recommending books again.

Dec 20th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Celticangel…I got all excited, and then just discovered that they require Windows Media Player.

I use Linux. So I guess if you have a Mac or Linux box, you’re sort of hosed. Maybe I’ll win the lottery one day.

Dec 20th, 2007
Dawn (5 comments.)

A very interesting TT. There are lots of details that most don’t really think about. Our sunrise and sunset are similar to Inverness. At 3:00 pm it is time to put lights on because it is just starting to get dim outside. I can’t believe the days will soon be getting longer. Happy TT.

Dec 20th, 2007
she (1 comments.)

i learned a lot by reading your list! thanks for stopping by mine!

Dec 20th, 2007
Pop Tart (2 comments.)

Yeah, but solstice doesn’t have any kitschy craft stuff made from tin foil :p

Thanks for stopping by and happy holidays!

Dec 20th, 2007
Damozel (3 comments.)

That’s a very interesting T13 with some new solstice facts I didn’t know. My T13 is also about the solstice (well, in a way).

Dec 20th, 2007
Deanna Dahlsad (4 comments.)

I tried to collect Yule logs, but well, the winters are long in North Dakota ;)

Thanks for stopping by :)

Dec 20th, 2007
Haley-O (3 comments.)

LOVE this! I don’t know much at all about solstice. So, thanks!! :)

Dec 20th, 2007
Noelle (4 comments.)

Hi, cool list! I didn’t really know anything about the solstice until I read this list, I knew it existed and that’s about it. Thanks for dropping by my blog!
Cheers!
Noelle
http://lifes-adventures.net

Dec 20th, 2007
colleen (1 comments.)

I’ve actually been to Newgrange but not at the Winter Solstice. I always feel hopeful at the Solstice because I know the light will be growing.

Dec 21st, 2007
Maribeth (3 comments.)

Hmm, very interesting info. I definitely found myself saying “Really” to a few of these.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Maribeth:)

Dec 21st, 2007
Lisa (2 comments.)

Believe me, I wish I were spending the holidays in Australia! nice TT.

Dec 21st, 2007
Rian Fike (2 comments.)

It’s one of my favorite days of the year, and you fleshed it out quite nicely!

Dec 21st, 2007
Joely (6 comments.)

I’d love to watch the Newgrange solstice — just don’t know if I’ll have time with the crazy last minute Christmas things I have to do! Happy TT!

Dec 21st, 2007
nicholas (17 comments.)

Very interesting list.

Dec 21st, 2007
Robin (26 comments.)

I get so depressed with the darkness, but I bet a chocolate yule log would perk me right up LOL.

Dec 21st, 2007
Sherrie (40 comments.)

That is awesome you do charts!!! I had no idea! but I am so glad you told me because I was going to purchase a chart off another website and I would so rather do it from you! :-)

Also when I tried to check out your other sites the other day my computer went haywire and told me I needed a password. Is that normal?

Dec 22nd, 2007
Sue (4 comments.)

Great list! And I did think it was always the shortest day of the year. I love learning new stuff like that :)

Dec 22nd, 2007
maryt/theteach (3 comments.)

Great post on the solstice - I learned a lot, Raven! Thanks for visiting my TT post. All the best to you and yours during this Holiday Season. The Yule log made of chocolate is a very good idea!

Dec 22nd, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Sherrie: no, not normal. When I get tired, sometimes I stick the post slug in the password field. Eventually I notice and fix it. ;)

If it happens again, please take a note of what time it happened and where you were (index page, clicking through to a post (which post), etc. :)

Cool on the astrology report! :)

Dec 22nd, 2007
Nicole Austin (1 comments.)

Very interesting! I would love to be at Newgrange to witness the solstice.

Happy TT!

Dec 22nd, 2007
Susan Helene Gottfried (21 comments.)

So in a week, the days will seem longer again? I’m all for that; I could never handle life in those areas that go dark for long periods of time.

Or maybe I could. I shouldn’t rule it out until I try it.

Dec 22nd, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Jehara: different strokes for different folks, I think :) I like the summer solstice because maybe, just maybe, it’s getting a bit cooler after that *grin*

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

So, did it work out, Dee? Happy TT! :)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Pussreboots: cool! I like your book lists. I actually now have a notebook to write down the titles of those books I always say I “should” read and never do because I forget them ;)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Dawn: where are you located, to have such a northern latitude?

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

She: thank you very much, and you’re welcome. :)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Pop Tart: and now I’m sitting there thinking about making a tin foil stonehenge.

Hmmm.

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Damozel: your TT was awesome last week :)

(And I am over a week behind in answering comments, it seems ;)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Deanna: you have to do *something* with all that chocolate ;)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Haley-o: you’re most welcome. I love the gravatar, too :)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Noelle, glad to have taught you something new :)

Thanks for visiting.

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Colleen: ooh, lovely. One day I hope to see it…dunno when, though!

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Maribeth: really? *grin*

Happy TT and thanks for visiting. :)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

It’d be fun, Lisa ;)

Thanks for visiting :)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Hi Rian

Glad you liked it. :)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Joely: I take it you weren’t able to see the solstice?

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Thanks Nicholas :)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Robin: I think it would be hard not to be perked up by so much sugar and cream ;)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Sue: you’re welcome! I didn’t know either, until I started digging around. This science stuff doesn’t come naturally ;)

Dec 30th, 2007
Linda R. Moore

Mary: Thanks so much for your lovely comment! Heh, I taught a teacher something–yay! :)

Dec 30th, 2007