People in the Northern Hemisphere experienced the Winter Solstice on Saturday, December 21, because the North Pole was tilted furthest away from the Sun for this year, during the Earth’s orbit.
The winter solstice is “The date is the 24-hour period with the fewest hours of daylight in the year, which is why it is known as the shortest day and longest night,” according to BBC. It usually happens on December 21 or 22 every year.
The winter solstice, according to ABC News, is when the Northern Hemisphere is at its furthest point away from the Sun by 23.5 degrees, and it happens once a year. This is because the Earth’s axis is at an angle, so the Earth spins lopsided. Scientists believe that a long time ago, something big hit the Earth, causing it to lean over a little bit. Since Earth’s axis is at an angle, organisms living on Earth will receive different amounts of sunlight from where they are on Earth.
During the winter solstice at the Northern Hemisphere, it is the summer solstice at the Southern Hemisphere. This is because the Northern Hemisphere is at its farthest point away from the sun, so the Southern Hemisphere is at its closest point to the sun. After the winter solstice, each day will get longer and longer until we arrive at the summer solstice, which is in June. Then, each day will get shorter and shorter until the next winter solstice, and so on.
The winter solstice has been celebrated by many cultures around the world for many years. One celebration is Yule, a celebration started by the Vikings. It was a celebration of light and the rebirth of the Sun. Yule marked the beginning of light amid darkness and was also a time of remembrance. It is still celebrated in Germany and Scandinavia.
We got many of our Christmas customs from Yule, like feasting and drinking; swearing of oaths; hanging wreaths; decorating trees; and the appearance of a man in a white beard, known as Odin for Yule and Santa Claus for Christmas.
Websites:
NASA Space Place