The Winter Solstice marks the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere), all thanks to the tilt of the earth.
This Day in History: December 21
On this day in 1898, having recently discovered polonium, future Nobel Prize winners Marie and Pierre Curie discovered the radioactive chemical element radium, a silvery white metal that would be used to treat cancer.
The Winter Solstice, or the December Solstice, is the point at which the path of the sun in the sky is farthest south. At the Winter Solstice, the sun travels the shortest path through the sky resulting in the day of the year with the least sunlight and therefore, the longest night.
Not unlike the summer solstice, the winter solstice is an astrological event. It occurs when the Earth's tilt towards the sun is at its minimum, resulting in the shortest day and longest night of the year. After the solstice, the days start getting longer again as we move towards springtime.
The summer solstice usually occurs on 22 December, but can occur between 21 and 23 December. The winter solstice is the day of the year that has the least daylight hours of any in the year and usually occurs on 22 June but can occur between 21 and 23 June.
winter solstice, also called hibernal solstice, the two moments during the year when the path of the Sun in the sky is farthest south in the Northern Hemisphere (December 21 or 22) and farthest north in the Southern Hemisphere (June 20 or 21).
Then comes the Winter Solstice on December 21. This is the shortest day, with the fewest minutes of sun.
21. Here are some of the notable people celebrating birthdays today, including Carla Thomas, Chris Evert, Jane Fonda, Kaitlyn Dever, Kiefer Sutherland, Ray Romano, Samuel L. Jackson, Steven Yeun and more.
On December 21, 2000, (then) President Bill Clinton signed an immigration legislation package called the "Legal Immigration and Family Equity Act" (LIFE).
While most residents of the Americas were fast asleep, dedicated observers were up all night to witness the total lunar eclipse of December 21, 2010. The event marked the first time our Moon passed through Earth's shadow on the same date as the winter solstice in 372 years.
On the 21st of December, the Northern Hemisphere will sink into its deepest point of darkness. Have no fear, it is only the longest night and the shortest day of the year.
People born from 22nd November to 21st December are said to have Sagittarius as their zodiac. Sagittarius is the ninth zodiac sign and has 'Fire' as their zodiac element.
December 21st-born people are passionate but can be restless, and will often abandon tried-and-true projects. However, they are also very good at learning and exploring new things. Sagittarius people tend to be stubborn in their relationships, so be careful when dealing with them.
December | Zircon, Tanzanite and Turquoise
December birthdays have claim to three gemstones; Zircon, Tanzanite and Turquoise. Each of these gemstones carries a unique blue tone making it a perfect birthstone for Minnesota's frigid December winters.
The winter solstice occurs in December, and in the northern hemisphere the date marks the 24-hour period with the fewest daylight hours of the year. That is why it is known as the shortest day of the year, or the longest night of the year.
On May 19, 1780, a strange darkness fell over much of New England. It was so dark by noon that it was impossible to read or write even sitting by a window. The darkness that enveloped Connecticut remained there for a day and a half.
The worst day in the history of life on Earth, so far, happened almost exactly 66 million years ago, when an asteroid roughly the size of Manhattan slammed into the Yucatán Peninsula.
December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 10 days remain until the end of the year.
December, twelfth month of the Gregorian calendar. Its name is derived from decem, Latin for “ten,” indicating its position in the early Roman calendar.
With up to about 14:40 hours there is the longest daylight in December. In June, the days in Canberra last about 10 hours and start about 2 hours later. Averaged over the whole year, the days are somewhat shorter than in our country.
Nunavut, Canada. Nunavut is located around two degrees above the Arctic Circle, in the Northwest Territories of Canada. This place sees around two months of 24X7 sunlight, whereas during winters, the place sees around 30 consecutive days of total darkness.
In Egyptian lore, it's believed the Great Mother Goddess Isis gave birth to her son Horus, the Sun God on the Winter Solstice. In Greek mythology, the Goddess Leta gave birth to the bright, shining Apollo. Mithra, the Persian God of Light and guardian against dark evil was born on the solstice.
Capricorn is the 10th sign of the zodiac (December 21 to January 20) and it's represented by the sea-goat, a mythological hybrid (like the Sagittarian centaur) that's a cross between a goat and a fish. A cardinal earth sign ruled by Saturn, Capricorn (or Makara, in Vedic astrology) energy is honest and wise.