Meaning of Solstice (What is it, Concept and Definition)

What is Solstice:

The solstice is an astronomical event attributed to the beginning of Summer or Winter .These celestial events mark the times of the year when the incidence of solar rays is at the maximum or minimum on the earth's surface, determining the longest and shortest day of the year respectively.

In the northern hemisphere , The Summer solstice happens between June 21-23 and the Winter solstice happens between December 21-23..For the geometry of the Earth and for its movement around the sun, the summer solstice in the southern hemisphere happens at the same time as the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere and vice versa.

Therefore, in the southern hemisphere, the summer solstice happens between December 21 and 23 and the winter solstice happens between June 21 and 23.

The solstice is normally associated with the equinox which in Latin translates vulgarly as “equal night and day.” As the name implies, it points to the time of the year when the day and night have the same duration and happens just between solstices, that is, on the 21st of March and September 21.

These dates have always been celebrated by humans, independent of their region and/or culture.Current theories suggest that these rites associated with moving the station may be inheritances.from our Neolithic past, when man became more dependent on agriculture and climatic conditions to survive.For the universal character of the celebration and for the devotion that most had towards these festivals, some used these dates for their own motivation, such as the date of the birth of Jesus Christ set by the Catholic Church some days before the winter solstice of the northern hemisphere.

Discover more with related terms such as the summer solstice, the equinox and the seasons of the year.

Afelio and Perihelio

Afelio is called to the furthest point of a planet's orbit from the sun .And it should not be confused with solstice.Instead, perihelion is the antonym of aphelion, therefore it refers to the closest point of a planet's orbit with respect to the sun.It should also not be confused with equinox.