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The winter solstice is astronomical. What does summer and winter solstice mean? Day of the winter solstice among the ancient Slavs

The winter solstice is the most important astronomical event in December, which falls on the 21st and reaches its peak at 16:28 Moscow time.

"Belly" to the Sun

What is the astronomical meaning of this phenomenon? December 21 marks the moment of the maximum possible angle of inclination of the Earth relative to the Sun. This angle is 23°26. The Earth, as it were, is turned with its “belly” towards the Sun, and its head (the north pole) looks in the other direction, because of which the rays of the luminary fall on the surface casually.

Each of us noticed that in winter the sun never rises high. So, on December 21, 2017, it will be as low as possible above the horizon. Because of this, the day will be the shortest (in Moscow - only seven hours), and the night will be the longest of the year.

At some point, the Earth will cross an imaginary line, after which each subsequent day will give us a little more light, and by the New Year, daylight hours will increase by almost eight minutes.

The real astronomical winter comes just after the winter solstice. According to experts, in the northern hemisphere it is the peak of winter, while in the southern hemisphere it is the equator of summer, the day of the winter solstice there is June 20.

The date of the winter solstice almost never changes. The exception is leap years: then what is happening is shifted to December 22 (June 21 - for the south). Other important dates similar to this one are the summer solstice, spring and autumn equinoxes.

From the history of the issue

It turns out that the winter solstice was established more than two thousand years ago. Back in 45 BC. e. Emperor Julius Caesar in his calendar officially determined the date of the winter solstice for Europe - December 25th.

But since the calendar year (365.2500 days) and the tropical year (~365.2421897 days) are not equivalent, every 400 years the actual astronomical solstice shifted back by about three days. In the 16th century, the phenomenon fell already on December 12th.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII decided to restore the exact correspondence between the seasons and the civil year. Guided by the provisions of the Council of Nicaea in 325, he annulled the ten-day error accumulated from the 4th to the 16th centuries. True, he did not take into account the three days that ran between the 1st and 4th centuries. This calendar adjustment moved the northern hemisphere winter solstice to around December 22nd.

So far in the Gregorian calendar, the solstice has fluctuated by one or two days. In the future, there may be an additional shift of one day every 3000 years.

Scholars believe that the solstices have been special moments in the annual cycle since Neolithic times. Astronomical events governed the cycle of day and night, the ebb and flow of the tide, the mating periods of animals, and people have understood this since ancient times. Focusing on the sun, they sowed and harvested crops, kept house, celebrated holidays and prayed to their gods.

This is evidenced by the layout of many archaeological sites of the late Neolithic and Bronze Age. For example, the main axes of the Newgrange monument (Ireland) are carefully aligned and indicate on the day of the winter solstice the main axes of the Newgrange monument (Ireland) and the sunset - the axes of the Stonehenge monument (Great Britain).

A feast before the unknown

The winter solstice was extremely important in the life of the primitive community: people doubted that they could survive the winter months - not only frosty, but also hungry.

So the day of the winter solstice was the last holiday before the beginning of the difficult winter period, when fresh meat was consumed the most. Livestock were massively slaughtered - in the cold there was nothing to feed them.

In addition, by the last ten days of December, most of the wine and beer made in the warm season, reached the readiness, and it was drinkable. A kind of winter festival began - a feast, followed by the unknown.

It was the days of the solstices and equinoxes, with the special role of the Sun in the sky, that served as the impetus for the emergence of various deities and traditions.

For example, in Greek mythology, the gods and goddesses celebrated the winter and summer solstices. These days, even the god of the underworld, Hades, was allowed to appear on Mount Olympus.

The Slavs celebrated the national holiday Kolyada on the day of the winter solstice, the Germanic peoples - Yule, the Romans until the 3rd century - Sol Invictus.

See with my own eyes

It is difficult to observe the solstices with the naked eye: the luminary moves to the peak point so slowly that it is difficult to determine the specific day of the phenomenon, not to mention its instant.

Knowing the time of an event down to an instant has only recently become possible, thanks to accurate tracking of astronomical data.

The actual moment of the solstice is impossible to detect by definition. It is impossible to notice that the object has stopped moving. We can only state that in the current measurement, he did not change his position compared to the previous measurement.

Thus, most observations state the day of the solstice, and not its instant.

The solstice is one of the two days of the year when the height of the sun above the horizon at noon is at its minimum or maximum. There are two solstices in a year - winter and summer.

On the winter solstice, the sun rises to its lowest point on the horizon.

In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22, which is when the shortest day and longest night occur. The moment of the solstice shifts annually, since the duration of the solar year does not coincide with calendar time.

In 2017, the winter solstice will occur on December 21 at 19.28 Moscow time.

The sun, moving along the ecliptic, at this moment will reach the most distant position from the celestial equator towards the South Pole of the world. Astronomical winter will come in the Northern Hemisphere of the planet, and summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

On this day, at the latitude of Moscow, the Sun rises above the horizon to a height of less than 11 degrees.

In these December days, beyond the Arctic Circle (66.5 degrees north latitude), the polar night sets in, which does not necessarily mean complete darkness throughout the day. Its main feature is that the Sun does not rise above the horizon.

At the North Pole of the Earth, not only the Sun is not visible, but also twilight, and the location of the luminary can only be recognized by the constellations. A completely different picture in the region of the South Pole of the Earth - in Antarctica at this time the day lasts around the clock.

On December 21, the Sun crosses the 18 hour meridian and begins to rise up the ecliptic, beginning its journey to the vernal equinox when it crosses the celestial equator.

For thousands of years, the winter solstice has been of great importance for all the peoples of our planet, who lived in harmony with natural cycles and organized their lives in accordance with them. Since ancient times, people have revered the Sun, realizing that their life on earth depends on its light and heat. For them, the winter solstice represented the victory of light over darkness.

So, in Russian folklore, a proverb is dedicated to this day: the sun - for the summer, winter - for the frost. Now the day will gradually increase, and the night will decrease. The winter solstice was used to judge the future harvest. In the old days, on this day they noticed: frost on the trees - to a rich harvest of grain.

In the 16th century in Rus', an interesting ritual was associated with the winter solstice. The bell warden of the Moscow cathedral, who was responsible for the chiming of the clock, came to bow to the tsar. He reported that from now on the sun turned to summer, the day is added, and the night is reduced. For this good news, the king rewarded the headman with money.

The ancient Slavs celebrated the pagan New Year on the day of the winter solstice, it was associated with the deity Kolyada. The main attribute of the festival was a bonfire, depicting and invoking the light of the sun, which, after the longest night of the year, had to rise higher and higher. The ritual New Year's cake - a loaf - also resembled the sun in shape.

In Europe, these days began a 12-day cycle of pagan festivities dedicated to the winter solstice, which marked the beginning of a new life and the renewal of nature.

On the day of the winter solstice in Scotland it was a custom to launch the sun wheel - "solstice". The barrel was smeared with burning tar and let down the street. The wheel is a symbol of the sun, the spokes of the wheel resembled rays, the rotation of the spokes during movement made the wheel alive and looked like a luminary.

The winter solstice was determined before all other seasons in China (there are 24 seasons in the Chinese calendar). In ancient China, it was believed that from this time on, the male force of nature rises and a new cycle begins. The winter solstice was considered a happy day worthy of celebration. On this day, everyone - from the emperor to the commoner - went on vacation. The army was put into a state of waiting for orders, border fortresses and trading shops were closed, people went to visit each other, gave gifts. The Chinese made sacrifices to the god of Heaven and ancestors, and also ate porridge made from beans and glutinous rice to protect themselves from evil spirits and diseases. Until now, the winter solstice is considered one of the traditional Chinese holidays.

What does summer and winter solstice mean? Please write in more detail. Thank you.))

Solstice- the point in time in the annual rotation of the Earth around the Sun, when the shortest day or the shortest night is observed. There are two solstices in a year - winter and summer. In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22, and then the shortest day (and the longest night) is observed, and the summer solstice occurs on June 21 or 22, and then the shortest night (and the longest day) is observed. In the southern hemisphere, these dates fall, respectively, on the summer and winter solstices.
During several neighboring days of the solstice, the Sun hardly changes its declination, its midday heights in the sky are almost unchanged; hence the very name of the solstice.
On June 22, being in the constellation of Gemini, the Sun has the greatest height above the horizon. In the northern hemisphere, this day is the longest of the year and the night is the shortest. For several days in a row, the Sun seems to be standing in one place, so these days are called days. summer solstice. These are the hottest days of the year.
In the middle latitudes, the longitude of the day exceeds 16 hours; the sun does not set at all beyond the Arctic Circle. Accordingly, the night will last less than 7 hours.
Despite the fact that summer is just beginning to gain strength from now on, the sun is already turning towards autumn. After the solstice, the daylight hours will become shorter, and by September 23 - the day of the autumnal equinox - the dark time of the day will prevail over the light.
According to experts, nature also reacts very strongly to the solstice - until this day, as a rule, all plants try to reach their maximum growth, and after the summer solstice they use the accumulated forces, we can say that nature is stretched on this day.
Around the date of December 22, the Sun rises to its lowest height above the horizon for several days. These days are called days winter solstice. The northern hemisphere has the shortest days and the longest nights of the year. December 22 is considered the beginning of astronomical winter. Daylight is increasing, which means that spring is just around the corner. . After December 22, the Sun at least "for a bird's lope", but adds height. For ancient people it was a divine miracle - the victory of light over darkness. Daylight is increasing, which means that spring is just around the corner.

Now in my city, there is such a phenomenon as White Nights I love this time
White nights are bright nights, when evening twilight merges with morning ones, and night darkness does not come. White nights are observed in both hemispheres at latitudes above 60 degrees.

On December 21 at 13:12 Kyiv time or at 19:28 Moscow time, the winter solstice will come. At this moment, the Sun will move from the northern to the southern hemisphere of the sky. In the course of moving along the ecliptic, it will reach its smallest declination - 23 degrees 26.457 minutes. It is from this moment that astronomical winter will begin.

Ancient people who were in close contact with nature were convinced that on the day of the winter solstice one can radically change one's destiny, fulfill many cherished desires and even receive the support of higher powers!

Since prehistoric times, the winter solstice has been celebrated as an extremely important event. Many cultures celebrate the birth of the sun and the new year on this day. The shortest day and the longest night of the year were perceived as the apotheosis of darkness and death, a certain point "X", after which the reborn luminary began to win back its world power and awaken nature to life. Sunrise on December 22 portends the beginning of the next life cycle, in connection with which the day will be filled with powerful mystical meaning.

solstice

In ancient times, people who celebrated the day of the solstice believed that it erases all sorts of boundaries between the worlds of spirits, people and gods, and also makes direct communication between them possible.

The winter solstice was celebrated in Persia as the birth of the solar god Mithra, who was supposed to defeat winter and clear the way for the coming spring. On the same day in pagan Europe, the sacred holiday of Yule began, which marked the renewal of nature and the beginning of a new life.

According to legend, on these nights all the worlds intersect in Midgard, that is, on Earth. Goddesses and Gods descend to people, elves and trolls chat with mere mortals, and the dead leave the walls of the underworld. Some women and men temporarily leave their physical forms and transform into spirits or werewolves.

The mighty giver of light and heat - Dazhdbog

On the day of the winter solstice, the Slavs celebrated the birth of Dazhdbog, the mighty giver of light and warmth. People firmly believed that the sun was stopped by the cruel god of the underworld Karachun, who is also the direct ancestor of Santa Claus. The Slavs performed various rituals aimed at helping the Sun, personifying the victory of light over darkness. But at the same time, people were afraid to offend Karachun and therefore presented him with sacrificial food.

Recommended Reading: How to Celebrate February 14 - Valentine's Day

wheel of fate

It is noteworthy that the legendary ancient megaliths - the Mayan observatories, the Egyptian pyramids, Stonehenge and other places of worship - were extremely precisely "tuned" to the winter solstice. This no doubt suggests the importance of the sacred rituals performed during this period of time.

The day of the winter solstice in 2017 has a special meaning: according to the Mayan calendar, on December 21, the 5200-year cycle of earthly civilization ends. On this day, an exceptional astronomical event is foreseen, the frequency of which is twenty-six thousand years: our yellow dwarf will pass through the axis of the center of the Galaxy.

The famous Mayan astronomers were convinced that at that moment the galactic clock would be at the zero point, after which a new galactic year would begin, the duration of which would be 26,000 solar years.

At present, most scientists and prophets believe that the above astronomical phenomena do not threaten humanity with an apocalypse.

new birth

In different nations, the traditions of the celebration of the winter solstice are quite similar. One of its key places was occupied by the customs of commemoration. People sought to "cause" the all-destroying forces that came to Earth from other worlds on the darkest night. They were greeted with rich sacrifices.

Signs of rituals of antiquity are observed today. For example, the spruce tree, which adorned Yule as a symbol of life, has become the main attribute of the New Year and Christmas holidays. On these days, people carol and treat guests with various meals, exchange gifts, which implies a sacrifice. Christmas lights and lit candles represent the flashes of ancient bonfires. Fire is protection, as well as an assistant in communicating with representatives of other worlds.

Christmas lights and lit candles represent the flashes of ancient bonfires

If we consider the traditions of the winter solstice from the position of modernity, we can say that this sacred period opens access to the energy-information fields of the Universe. Correctly formulated prayers and correctly expressed desires create certain “programs” that operate over a specific period of time.

be happy

Experts are convinced that the upcoming solstice of 2017 will change many destinies of our world. However, much depends on us. What needs to be done for personal happiness and the future well-being of the planet? In preparation for entering the unique energy of the period, you need to get rid of all grievances, bad thoughts and petty worries. There should be no outbursts of irritability. It is important to remember that during the winter solstice, a certain “pure matrix” absorbs all our emotional images, aspirations and desires, in order to then translate them into reality.

The festive program should include mass festivities, which will improve health, as well as raise social status. Do not neglect the plentiful and noisy feasts in a wide circle of relatives and friends - they attract harmony, the well-being of family relationships. Do not forget about commemoration: in the church you need to light candles for everyone whose memory is dear to you, give them words of gratitude and love.

It is mandatory to prepare gifts for loved ones, as well as make donations to the poor. Such gestures will be appreciated by the Universe, which, in gratitude, will certainly make it easier for you to achieve any goal you set.

It is necessary to emphasize a somewhat dangerous point: during periods of renewal, the world is in an unstable state, which increases the likelihood of accidents, injuries and various disruptions in business. Therefore, people should be careful not to plan medical procedures, long trips at this moment and be more attentive to their health.

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Winter solstice

Diagram of the seasons in the northern hemisphere of the Earth. Far right: winter solstice.

Winter solstice occurs at the moment when the inclination of the Earth's axis of rotation in the direction from the Sun takes on the greatest value. The maximum angle of inclination of the earth's axis relative to the Sun during the solstice is 23 ° 26 ". It is more obvious to inhabitants of high latitudes that the winter solstice falls on the shortest day and longest night of the year, when the height of the sun's rise in the sky is the lowest. Because Since the winter solstice lasts only a brief moment of time, other names are used for the day when this occurs, for example: "midwinter", "longest night" or "first day of winter".

The seasonal significance of the winter solstice consists in a reversal of the gradual lengthening of the night and the shortening of the day. Depending on the calendar shift, the winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and on June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.

In different cultures, the interpretation of this event varied in different ways, but for most peoples it was regarded as a rebirth, holidays, festivals, meetings, rituals and other celebrations were held at this time.

date

The winter solstice was extremely important in the life of the primitive community, because people were not sure that they had prepared well for winter during the previous nine months, and that they would be able to survive this winter. Hunger was common during the winter period, from January to April, this stretch of the year is known as the famine months. In temperate climates, the midwinter festival was the last festival before the onset of the hard winter period. Most of the cattle were slaughtered at this time, as there was nothing to feed them during the winter, so the time of the winter solstice was the only period of the year when fresh meat was consumed the most. At this time, most of the wine and beer, made during the warm season, finally reached the readiness, and it was possible to drink it. Festivities were held not only directly on this day, they began at midnight or at dawn, and most often the day before.

Because the winter solstice is a pivotal event in the presence of the Sun in the sky, it gave rise to the concept of the birth or rebirth of the gods everywhere. In the culture of many peoples, cyclic calendars are based on the winter solstice, the resurgent year is celebrated, a symbol of "new beginnings", such as, for example, the cleansing tradition of Hogmanay in Scotland. In Greek mythology, the gods and goddesses met the winter and summer solstice, these days it was allowed to enter Hades to Mount Olympus (his kingdom was the underworld, and at any other time he was not supposed to leave there).

Observations

Sunrise at Stonehenge on the winter solstice.

Direct observation of the solstice by amateurs is difficult because the sun moves rather slowly towards the solstice, so it is difficult to determine its particular day, let alone its instant. Knowing the timing of an event's origin has only recently been made possible down to almost instantaneous times by precise tracking of astronomical data. The actual moment of the solstice cannot be detected by definition (it is impossible to notice that the object has stopped moving, it can only be stated that in the current measurement the object has not changed its position compared to the previous measurement, or has moved in the opposite direction). In addition, to determine the event with an accuracy of one day, one must be able to observe changes in azimuth and height less than 1/60 of the angular diameter of the Sun. A similar definition, accurate to within two days, is easier, requiring an observational error of only about 1/16 of the Sun's angular diameter. Thus, most observations state the day of the solstice, and not its instant. Often this is done by observing the sunrise and sunset, with an astronomically calibrated instrument that ensures that a beam of light passes to a certain point at exactly the right time.

see also

Notes


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See what the "Winter Solstice" is in other dictionaries:

    winter solstice- - [A.S. Goldberg. English Russian Energy Dictionary. 2006] Topics energy in general EN summer solstice … Technical Translator's Handbook

    winter solstice- The point in time when the Sun passes through the southernmost point of the ecliptic (December 21 or 22) is the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere, and on the Tropic of Capricorn at noon, the sun's rays fall vertically. → Fig. 25, p. 58… Geography Dictionary

    Winter solstice- see Solstice... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

    SOLSTICE- SOLSTICE, one of the two days of the year when the Sun is at its greatest angular distance from the CELESTIAL EQUATOR, i.e. when the height of the sun above the horizon at noon is minimum or maximum. This leads to the longest day and the most… … Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary

    SOLSTICE- [onts], solstices, cf. (aster.). The moment (which happens twice a year) when the sun passes through the point on the ecliptic that is farthest from the celestial equator. Summer Solstice (June 22, when the day begins to wane). Winter Solstice (22… … Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

    solstice- The moment at which the Sun, in its apparent annual movement along the ecliptic, passes either through its northernmost point (summer solstice June 21-22) or through its southernmost point (winter solstice December 21-22) ... Geography Dictionary

    winter solstice- Dates and times of solstices and equinoxes in UTC year Equinox March Solstice June Equinox September Solstice December day time day time day time day time 2002 20 19:16 21 13:24 23 04:55 22 01:14 2003 21 ... Wikipedia

    Solstice- This term has other meanings, see Solstice (meanings). Dates and times of the solstices and equinoxes in UTC 0 year Equinox March Solstice June Equinox September Solstice December day time day time day ... ... Wikipedia