Winter Solstice 2019: What and When It Is, and Everything Else You Need to Know About the Winter Season Event

The actual moment of the winter solstice will occur around 9.49am in India tomorrow.

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By Tasneem Akolawala | Updated: 22 December 2019 14:59 IST
Highlights
  • Symbolically, winter solstice is marked as death and rebirth of the Sun
  • It occurs when the Earth pole has its maximum tilt away from the Sun
  • This year, winter solstice will be on December 22
Winter Solstice 2019: What and When It Is, and Everything Else You Need to Know About the Winter Season Event

Winter solstice essentially occurs when the Sun is at its most southerly point

Winter solstice 2019 is the day that marks the arrival of the winter season - something that is also being marked by a Google doodle. It is also the shortest day of the year with the fewest daylight hours in the northern hemisphere. This year winter solstice will be on December 22, and the actual moment of the solstice will occur around 9.49am in India. In different parts of the region, the winter solstice will begin at different times, and it essentially occurs when the Sun is at its most southerly point. In the southern hemisphere however, it marks as the longest day, and is considered to be the start of summer.

What is the winter solstice?

The word solstice comes from Latin words sol and sistere, and sol means ‘sun', while sister means ‘to stand still. This means, that before and after the solstice, the Sun appears as if it isn't moving in its path, and its noon elevation is the slightest. Winter solstice essentially occurs when the Earth pole has its maximum tilt away from the Sun. It happens two times in a year – once in the northern hemisphere and once in the southern hemisphere. As mentioned, it is also considered as the shortest day of the year for the northern hemisphere, and marks the beginning of the winter season. At this time, the Sun is at its most southerly point. Symbolically, it is marked as the death and rebirth of the Sun.

When is the winter solstice 2019?

This year, winter solstice will be on December 22. The actual moment of the solstice will occur around 9.49am in India. According to Time and Date, this day is 3 hours, 39 minutes shorter than on June solstice. In the US, the actual moment of solstice will occur December 21 at 11:19pm EST. Most people like to the focus on the solstice day, and is recognised in many regions as a festival or a holiday. As mentioned, winter solstice is considered to be the shortest day and the longest night of the year, in that hemisphere, and after that, the days start to become longer, and nights start to get shorter. When summer solstice occurs, the daylight hours is at its peak, and the dark hours are the shortest.

How can I see the winter solstice 2019?

You can see a few signs around you, for instance, the length of day time will reduce where dawns are late and sunsets are early.You will also notice the low arc of the suc across the sky above you, especially at noon, when the sun appears low in the sky. Your noontime shadow should also be the longest on that day. Folks living in the southern hemisphere should see the shortest noontime shadow.

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