What do you Mean by Solstices and What Causes it?
For a thousand years or more, astronomy has been subjected to paramount importance for people. The historical constructions believed to be called Stonehenge might have been developed to pay honor to solstices & equinoxes. So, what is solstice? Simply put, solstices occur as the Earth's axis of rotation gets tilted around 23.4 degrees to its orbit surrounding the Sun. Here's to learning more about the solstice.
Understanding What is Solstice
Another answer to what solstice is, solstice refers to sun-stopping. The horizon's point where the Sun appears & sets, reverses, and stops after the day is known as solstice. The tilt drives the planet's seasons, as Southern and Northern Hemispheres receive unequal amounts of sunlight over one year's course.
Its Northern Hemisphere stays tilted towards the Sun between March and September, thereby driving spring & summer. And between September and March, its Northern Hemisphere stays tilted away. Thus, it gives rise to seasons like winter and autumn. This season of the Southern Hemisphere is reversed.
Outlining the Humble Roots of Solstice: Here's A Brief History
Individuals love watching the midsummer sun when it rises on the megalithic Stonehenge monument in England on the 21st of June, 2005 (Salisbury Plain). Crowds came from different locations and gathered in the ancient stone circle in order to celebrate the legendary summer solstice – the year's longest day in the Northern Hemisphere.
For a thousand years, people celebrated the summer solstice or Midsummer Day. These days, it becomes seamless to elucidate what exactly it is. Nonetheless, during prehistoric times, this natural phenomenon seemed to be like a mystery.
People in the bygone days did not understand that it is not the Sun that moves. What exactly moves is the Earth that rotates around the Sun in one year's course. People belonging to the Neolithic Age determined the utmost yearly date of the summer solstice (21st of June) and winter solstice (mostly on 21st of December). Also, what is the shortest day of the year? While these dates mark the astronomical beginning of the summer and winter seasons, here's outlining everything about winter and summer solstice.
Elucidating Everything About Summer and Winter Solstice
If you want to learn about the difference between the summer solstice and winter solstice, you need to first understand what they are. Firstly, the summer solstice or festival solstice, or midsummer, happens when an Earth's poles have the maximum tilt towards the Sun. Usually, it occurs twice a year – once in each of the hemispheres (Southern and Northern).
To simply put, the summer solstice occurs when the Sun stretches the highest spot in the sky (for the areas outside the tropics), and the day is usually known to have the longest daylight period. So, it's the longest day of the year. In the Arctic Circle (considering the northern hemisphere) or the Antarctic circle (for the southern hemisphere), continuous daylight is there around the summer solstice. For this, the maximum axial tilt of the Earth towards the Sun happens to be 23.44°. Likewise, the declination of the Sun from the equator is around 23.44°.
On the contrary, the winter solstice or hibernal solstice is also termed as hiemal solstice. It occurs when one of the poles reaches the maximum tilt away from the Sun. It also happens twice each year – once in each of the hemispheres (Southern and Northern). The day of the winter solstice has the shortest daylight period. So, it has the longest night of the whole year.
That means it is the smallest day of the year, when the Sun remains at the lowest maximum elevation in the sky. Either of the poles will experience continuous twilight or darkness around the winter solstice, and the opposite occurrence is known to be the summer solstice. Based on the winter solstice of the hemisphere, the Sun usually reaches 90° (at the Tropic of Capricorn or Cancer) below the horizon of the observer at the solar midnight.
(Image will be Uploaded soon)
Difference Between Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice
FAQs on Solstices
1. What is a solstice in geography?
In geography, a solstice is a specific moment in the year when one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt either toward or away from the Sun. This results in the longest day of the year (summer solstice) and the shortest day of the year (winter solstice) in a hemisphere.
2. What are the two types of solstices and when do they typically occur?
The two types of solstices are the summer and winter solstices. In the Northern Hemisphere, their typical dates are:
Summer Solstice: Occurs around June 20th or 21st, marking the longest day of the year.
Winter Solstice: Occurs around December 21st or 22nd, marking the shortest day of the year.
In the Southern Hemisphere, these dates and seasons are reversed.
3. What is the main difference between a solstice and an equinox?
The main difference lies in the length of day and night. A solstice marks the day with the most or least amount of daylight due to the Earth's maximum axial tilt relative to the Sun. In contrast, an equinox occurs when the Earth's axis is not tilted toward or away from the Sun, resulting in nearly equal lengths of day and night across the globe.
4. Why do solstices happen?
Solstices happen because the Earth is tilted on its axis by approximately 23.5 degrees. As the Earth completes its year-long revolution around the Sun, this constant tilt means that different hemispheres receive more direct sunlight at different times. A solstice marks the point of maximum tilt, causing the extreme lengths of day and night.
5. How does the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere affect the Southern Hemisphere?
The two hemispheres experience opposite seasons. When the Northern Hemisphere has its summer solstice (longest day) because it is tilted towards the Sun, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun. Consequently, the Southern Hemisphere simultaneously experiences its winter solstice, which is its shortest day of the year.
6. Does the solstice always occur on the exact same date each year?
No, the date can vary slightly. While solstices usually fall on June 20/21 and December 21/22, the exact date can shift. This is because the Earth takes about 365.24 days to orbit the Sun, but our calendar year is 365 days. The inclusion of a leap day every four years helps to realign the calendar with the Earth's orbit, causing this slight variation in the solstice date.
7. What is the real-world importance of understanding solstices?
Understanding solstices is important for several real-world applications. They mark the official beginning of the summer and winter seasons, which is fundamental for climate science, agriculture (for planting and harvesting), and has been a cornerstone for many cultural festivals and traditions throughout human history.
8. What is the meaning of the word 'solstice'?
The word 'solstice' originates from the Latin words 'sol' (meaning 'sun') and 'sistere' (meaning 'to stand still'). This name was chosen because, during a solstice, the Sun's apparent path in the sky reaches its northernmost or southernmost extreme and appears to stop or 'stand still' before it reverses direction.
