Is winter solstice the shortest day of the year? - ProProfs Discuss
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Is winter solstice the shortest day of the year?

Asked by K. Myers, Last updated: Mar 29, 2024

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4 Answers

L. Laurel

L. Laurel

Foodie, Traveler, MBA degree holder, Amateur writer

L. Laurel
L. Laurel, Assistant Manager, MBA (Marketing), California

Answered Jan 02, 2020

Yes, Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year. Winter solstice is usually observed in the northern hemisphere on December 21 or 22. Apart from the fact that winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, it is also the longest night of the year. This event explains the maximum tilt of the northern hemisphere of the earth's pole away from the sun. During the winter solstice, the sun in the ecliptic reaches its lowest point of elevation in the sky.

Also, during the winter solstice, the southern hemisphere experiences the longest day of the year, but also the shortest night of the year. Winter solstice is usually the beginning of winter season in the northern hemisphere. While this event may look natural, a lot of things have been attached to it to the point that it is celebrated in different countries of the world. Winter solstice is also experienced in the southern hemisphere in June.

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R. Tanner

R. Tanner

R. Tanner
R. Tanner

Answered Dec 24, 2019

The day of the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, meaning the one in which we encounter the least amount of daylight in 24 hours. It is also the time when the sun achieves its southernmost point in the sky. Although this is a result of the earth’s cooling, it’s remarkable thermal mass still preserves the heat from the summer and fall.

In the United States and some other areas in the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice announces on the first day of winter. The formal date for the first day of winter varies depending on the country’s climate and if they follow astronomical or meteorological seasons. It’s the day that has the smallest amount of daylight hours of any other in the year.

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J. Alva

J. Alva

J. Alva
J. Alva

Answered Dec 20, 2019

Yes, the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year. Winter solstice occurs twice in a year, once at the Northern hemisphere and once at the Southern hemisphere. When winter solstice occurs, there are less than 12 hours of daylight on that day. During winter solstice in the Northern hemisphere, there is less than 12 hours of sunlight and more than 12 hours of daylight in the Southern hemisphere, and the reverse occurs during the winter solstice in the Southern hemisphere.

The winter solstice falls between December 20 and December 23 in the Northern hemisphere and between June 20 and 22 in the Southern hemisphere. The shortest day in the Northern hemisphere in 2019 is on Sunday, 22 December 2019, and it occurred in the month of June 2019 in the Southern hemisphere.

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F. Hope

F. Hope

F. Hope
F. Hope

Answered Dec 19, 2019

Winter Solstice is considered to be the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Take note that the December solstice can be different depending on where people are located in various parts of the world. For example, there are some that will experience Norther Solstice on December 21 while there are some who would experience this on December 22.

Some people also call this the December solstice. This is known to be the darkest day of the year. Some say that after this day, all of the days after this will also become shorter. People usually celebrate this by having some festivals and also spending time with their loved ones.

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