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When is the shortest day of the year? How long does it last? When, from what date in winter in December, will daylight begin to arrive and increase? When is the longest day and longest night of the year? When, from what date in summer, will the


The summer solstice is the day when the Sun reaches its peak position above the horizon, and accordingly, daylight is the longest in the entire year. This day has a powerful energy and can bring considerable luck if you live it right.

The summer solstice is very important for humanity. This is the time for the embodiment of desires, spiritual uplift and charge of "internal batteries". Especially if the day is sunny and warm.

When will the summer solstice be in 2018?

The Earth moves around the Sun along a given trajectory once and for all. Therefore, important milestones, such as the day of the summer solstice, are unchanged and always occur at the same time, the same moment. Strictly speaking, the summer solstice is not a day, but one of the main points of the Earth's orbit. After its passage, daylight hours begin to shorten. Therefore, this milestone is considered the beginning of the astronomical autumn, which lasts until the autumn equinox. Summer solstice in 2018 will occur on June 21st as usual. Recall that leap years are an exception: due to the "extra" day, the date is shifted to June 20.

Energy features of the summer solstice

Since the daylight hours on June 21 (20) is the longest in the year, the Sun gives up the most heat to the Earth, and with it its powerful, albeit invisible energy. This is the peak of the summer season, so it should not be greeted in a bad mood. The positive will help attract the favorable energy of the Sun.

To absorb its power, it is worth getting out into nature. Bioenergy experts recommend spending the 21st outdoors. And to enhance the positive impression of the day, you can talk to people of interest to you.

The lunar calendar will also bring a surprise. On this day, the moon enters the house of Libra and begins to grow, which goes well with the positive energy of this day. Libra belongs to the air element, it is she who will dominate everything on this day. Many people can feel a truly airy lightness, despite the not very positive attitude of the moon. Its energy today is balanced by the energy of the Sun.

The cultures of many peoples, for example, the Celts and Slavs, paid close attention to the day of the summer solstice. Until now, this date is celebrated by many people. It doesn't matter what you do that day: work, relax, meet with friends. The main thing is to maintain a positive attitude. Summer solstice is great for establishing new social connections: dating, first date. And the wedding on this day promises a successful marriage.

A good way to give yourself a lot of pleasant emotions is to make a large, coveted purchase. But in order not to waste money, try to plan your shopping on June 21 in advance.

Incredible facts

From 21 to 22 December, the Northern Hemisphere will experience the shortest day and longest night. This phenomenon is called the winter solstice.

The winter solstice marks the beginning of an astronomical winter.

What happens during the winter solstice, when this date falls, and what traditions exist on this day.

Here are 10 of the most interesting facts about the shortest day of the year.


What is the date of the winter solstice in 2018

The date of the winter solstice changes from year to year and can fall from December 20 to 23, but most often it occurs on December 21 or 22.

The reason is that the tropical year, the time it takes for the Sun to return to the same point relative to the Earth, is different from the calendar year. The next winter solstice, which falls on December 20, will occur in 2080, and on December 23 only in 2303.

The winter solstice in 2018 falls on December 21 at 22:23 UTC ( December 22 at 1:23 am MSK).

2. The winter solstice occurs at a certain short moment



The winter solstice occurs not only on a certain day, but also at a certain time of the day, when the angle of inclination of the Earth's axis relative to the Sun is 23.5 degrees. In the northern hemisphere, the sun is at its lowest above the horizon, and beyond the polar circle, the sun does not even rise above the horizon.

As the winter solstice approaches, daytime shortens, and after that it gradually lengthens. The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night in the northern hemisphere.

So, for example, in Moscow the length of the day during the winter solstice will be 7h 0m 20sec up from 17h 33m 40s during the summer solstice. In Helsinki, Finland, the day will last 5 hours 49 minutes, and in Murmansk there will be no sunrise at all - you can observe the polar night there.

4. Ancient cultures considered the winter solstice - the time of death and rebirth

The seeming loss of light and the real threat of starvation during the winter months has been a heavy burden in many cultures. Therefore, at this time, various holidays were often organized, calling for the return of the Sun and hope for a new life.

During the rituals, fires were lit and cattle sacrificed, after which a feast was held with dishes from the last fresh meat. In the tradition of the Druids, the death of the old Sun and the birth of a new Sun were revered.

5. The day is marked by new and unusual discoveries



Interestingly, on this day in 1898, Pierre and Marie Curie discovered radium, which was the beginning of the atomic era. And on December 21, 1968, Apollo 8 was launched, when humans first entered circumlunar orbit and reached the Moon.

6. The word "solstice" is translated as "the sun stands motionless"

This is due to the position of the Sun in the sky relative to the horizon at noon, which rises or falls throughout the year, and seems to stop at the solstice.

We are currently looking at this phenomenon in terms of cosmic location. In ancient times, people thought about the trajectory of the Sun, how long it stood in the sky, and what kind of light it threw.

7. Stonehenge is aligned with the sunset on the winter solstice

For a long time, for many people, the famous Stonehenge monument was a kind of sundial. Its main axis aimed at sunset, while another Newgrange monument points to the line of the rising sun at the winter solstice.

Although the purpose of this ancient structure is still a matter of controversy, it still holds great significance during the winter solstice, gathering many people from all over the world to celebrate the occasion.

Winter solstice festival

8.The ancient Romans celebrated the role-reversal holiday - Saturnalia

At this time, they organized the holiday of Saturnalia, when everything was turned upside down. Social roles changed, masters served slaves, and slaves were allowed to insult their masters. The holiday was named after the god Saturn, the patron saint of agriculture.

Wearing masks and pretending was also part of Saturnalia, where a king of revelry was chosen in every house. Over time, Saturnalia was replaced by Christmas, although many of its traditions in the west migrated to Christmas.

9. Many believed that during the winter solstice dark spirits walk on the earth



The ancient Iranian festival of Yalda, celebrated on the longest night of the year, heralded the birth of the ancient sun god and his victory over darkness.

The Zoroastrians believed that evil spirits roamed the earth that day. People tried to spend most of the night in each other's company, had feasts, conversations, told stories and poems in order to avoid any collisions with dark entities.

The presence of evil spirits on the longest night is also mentioned in Celtic and Germanic folklore.

10. During the 2012 winter solstice, the end of the world was foreshadowed

December 21, 2012 corresponds to the date 13.0.0.0.0 in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar used by the ancient Maya. It marked the end of the 5126-year cycle. Many believed that such a combination of circumstances would lead to the end of the world or another cataclysm.

Sunday 24 March 2019 football teams will meet in the qualification of the Euro 2020 group stage Russia and Kazakhstan.

This will be the second match of the Russian team in the current qualifying tournament. Let us remind you that in the first meeting, Russia met with Belgium, to which it lost with a score of 1: 3.

The Russia-Kazakhstan meeting will take place on March 24, 2019 in the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan - the city of Astana(which was renamed on March 20 in just a couple of hours to Nur-Sultan by the decision of the deputies of parliament). And how can one fail to recall one of the jokes dedicated to the renaming of the city, and not to say in relation to the Russian national football team that she “flew to Astana, but flew to Nur-Sultan”. Officially, the city changed its name on March 23, 2019, after the signing of the corresponding Decree by the new head of state, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The match will be held at the stadium "Astana Arena"("Nur-Sultan Arena"). The beginning is at 17:00 Moscow time (at 20:00 local time).

That is:
* Place of the match - Kazakhstan, Astana (Nur-Sultan), "Astana Arena".
* Time of the beginning of the broadcast - 17:00 Moscow time.

Where to watch live match Russia - Kazakhstan:

In Russia the live broadcast of the football match will be shown by the federal TV channel "Match!"... The broadcast dedicated to the game will begin at 16:35 Moscow time, the live broadcast itself - at 17:00 Moscow time.

In Kazakhstan the live broadcast of the national football teams will be shown on the channel "QAZAQSTAN" at 20:00 local time.

March 18 in Crimea is a day off or a working day:

According to the above laws, on the territory of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol the date "March 18" is a non-working holiday, an additional day off.

That is:
* March 18 in Crimea and Sevastopol is a day off.

If March 18 coincides with a day off (as, for example, happens in 2023), the day off is postponed to the next working day.

If a holiday coincides with an annual paid vacation, March 18 is not included in the number of calendar days of vacation, but extends it.

Is March 17 a shortened working day:

If the calendar date March 17 falls on a working day, then the duration of work on that day is reduced by 1 hour.

This norm is established in the 95th article of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation and applies to working days preceding, among other things, regional holidays.

International Women's Day on March 8 is a memorable date for the United Nations, and the organization includes 193 states. The memorable dates announced by the General Assembly are intended to stimulate UN members to show increased interest in these events. However, at the moment, not all member states of the United Nations have approved the celebration of Women's Day in their territories on that date.

Below is a list of countries celebrating International Women's Day. Countries are grouped into groups: in a number of states, the holiday is an official day off (day off) for all citizens, somewhere on March 8 only women have a rest, and there are states where they work on March 8.

In which countries is March 8 a day off (for everyone):

* In Russia- March 8 is one of the most beloved holidays when men congratulate all women without exception.

* In Ukraine- International Women's Day continues to be an additional day off, despite regular proposals to exclude the event from the number of non-working days and replace it, for example, with Shevchenko's Day, which will be celebrated on March 9.
* In Abkhazia.
* In Azerbaijan.
* In Algeria.
* In Angola.
* In Armenia.
* In Afghanistan.
* In Belarus.
* In Burkina Faso.
* In vietnam.
* In Guinea-Bissau.
* In Georgia.
* In Zambia.
* In Kazakhstan.
* In Cambodia.
* In Kenya.
* In Kyrgyzstan.
* In the DPRK.
* In Cuba.
* In Laos.
* In Latvia.
* In Madagascar.
* In Moldova.
* In Mongolia.
* In Nepal.
* In Tajikistan- since 2009, the holiday has been renamed Mother's Day.
* In Turkmenistan.
* In Uganda.
* In Uzbekistan.
* In Eritrea.
* In South Ossetia.

Countries in which March 8 is a day off only for women:

There are countries where only women are exempted from work on International Women's Day. This rule is approved:

* In China.
* In Madagascar.

Which countries celebrate March 8, but this is a working day:

In some countries, International Women's Day is widely observed, but it is a working day. It:

* Austria.
* Bulgaria.
* Bosnia and Herzegovina.
* Germany- in Berlin, since 2019, March 8 is a day off, in the whole country it is a worker.
* Denmark.
* Italy.
* Cameroon.
* Romania.
* Croatia.
* Chile.
* Switzerland.

In which countries March 8 is NOT celebrated:

* In Brazil - the majority of the inhabitants of which have not even heard of the "international" holiday on March 8. The main event of late February - early March for Brazilians and Brazilian women is not Women's Day at all, but the world's largest Brazilian Festival according to the Guinness Book of Records, also called the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. In honor of the festival, the inhabitants of Brazil rest for several days in a row, from Friday to noon on Catholic Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent (which for Catholics has a flexible date and begins 40 days before Catholic Easter).

* In the United States, a holiday is not a public holiday. In 1994, an attempt by activists to validate the celebration in Congress was unsuccessful.

* In the Czech Republic (Czech Republic) - most of the country's population considers the holiday as a relic of the communist past and the main symbol of the old regime.

June 21 is the longest day of summer. On this day, the sun reaches the highest position in the sky, so daylight hours last as long as possible, and the night is the shortest in the year.

Over the centuries, it was of the greatest importance for our ancestors, who lived in harmony with Mother Nature and celebrated the summer solstice on this day.

The longest day of summer is the lunar summer solstice. In the northern hemisphere, it usually falls on June 21st. However, due to the leap shift, the solstice date may differ from year to year by 1-2 days. For example, in 2012, which is a leap year, the longest day of summer would be June 20th.

In astronomy, this day is considered to be the date of the beginning of the astronomical summer. Starting on December 21 or 22, the Sun rises higher and higher above the horizon every day, due to which the length of the day gradually increases. On the day of the summer solstice, it freezes at its maximum point, and then changes its motion and begins to move in the opposite direction. That is, after the longest day of summer, a gradual decrease in the length of daylight begins, which continues until December 21-22. And then all over again.

Longest day of summer: holidays

The longest day of summer is a day that has long been revered by our ancestors. On this day, the most ancient European holidays were organized - Lita, Kupala, Midsummer and others. In pagan culture, this day was dedicated to the sun god Yarila. It was believed that at this moment there was a full flowering of the forces of nature, embodied in the abundance of the harvest.

We were preparing for the holiday from the very morning... The girls dressed up in beautiful dresses and adorned themselves with flowers and herbs, protecting them from evil spirits. And the guys chose a beautiful tree, which was decorated with flowers and scraps of fabric. A doll with the image of Yarila, made of clay and straw, was installed at the foot. Festivities were organized around the tree, and the doll was burned, seeing off the Sun.

The Celts celebrated the holiday of Litu on this day, arranging rituals, fortune-telling and entertainment. They also adorned themselves with herbs and wreaths of flowers, sang, danced, and in the evening "placated" fairies and elves with delicious food and burned fires. The Scandinavian, Germanic and Baltic peoples celebrated Midsummer's Day on the longest day. It was customary to kindle huge bonfires, jump over fires, burn old boats and lower flowers on the water.

In this article, you will find out when the days of the summer and winter solstices, as well as the autumn and spring equinoxes, come.

The shortest and longest days throughout the year are called solstice days, which are summer and winter, and the time when days and nights are equal is equinox, spring and autumn... Let's learn more about these days.

When, in what month in winter, daylight hours will turn to profit and begin to grow?

Mid-latitude winter solstice in Russia

The shortest day in winter is winter solstice- we come on December 21 or 22. On one of these days, the smallest day of the year, in the northern hemisphere, in mid-latitudes, it lasts 5 hours and 53 minutes, then the day will increase, and the night will decrease.

The closer to the Arctic Circle, the less day. Beyond the line of the Arctic Circle, the sun at this time may not appear at all.

Attention... In the old style, the day of the winter solstice coincided with Christmas. In the old days, this time was very revered: they festively decorated their house, cooked kutya from wheat, and baked pies and gingerbread from the flour of the new harvest. For the New Year and Christmas holidays, they fed the animals (pig, calf) in spring and summer to slaughter for Christmas and prepare delicious meat dishes.

At equator level, the day is the same throughout the year as night (12 hours).

As for the southern hemisphere, everything is different there: when we, in the northern latitudes, have a winter solstice, they have a summer solstice.

It is interesting... For the first time, the day of the winter solstice was established by Julius Caesar. This happened in 45 BC. Then that day was December 25th.

When, on what date, is the shortest day and longest night of the year, and how long does it last?



Longest mid-latitude day in Russia and Ukraine

The longest day in the year ( summer solstice) occurs on June 20, but may be June 21 or 22 (depending on the shift in the calendar associated with a leap year). For Moscow, the duration of the day is 17 hours 33 minutes, and then the days begin to be shorter and the nights are longer.

How can you explain the summer solstice? This is the day when the sun reaches its highest point above the horizon at noon. After this day, the sun begins to go down and this continues until December 21 or 22.

In the old days, beliefs were associated with this day:

  • At this time, healers collected medicinal herbs, since the greatest beneficial properties of plants are manifested right now.
  • On the night after the summer solstice, the girls bewitched the betrothed, he certainly showed up.
  • From that day on, it was possible to swim in reservoirs, and earlier it was forbidden, since, according to legends, devils sat in the water. From that day they left for a short time, before the holiday of Elijah (August 2).

Note... According to the old style, the day of the summer solstice coincided with Midsummer's day.

How much daylight will start to increase after December 22?



The shortest day in winter in central Russia

The shortest day is considered to be December 21 or 22, but in fact, this duration and the next few days, and only December 24-25 the day is added.

At first, the addition of the day is imperceptible, since it increases by 1 minute, and then in the evening, and in the morning the sun rises even later, and then the increase in the day is already noticeable, and on March 20-22, the day becomes the same size as the night, at about 12 o'clock.

Interesting... But on other planets of our Universe, the length of the day for some planets is similar to the Earth's day, for others it is completely different. Length of a day on other planets(in Earth hours):

  • Jupiter - 9 o'clock
  • Saturn - close to 10 o'clock
  • Uranus - close to 13 o'clock
  • Neptune - close to 15 o'clock
  • Mars - 24 hours 39 minutes
  • Mercury - close to 60 of our day
  • Venus - 243 our days

From what day do days become longer than nights?



Spring equinox in central Russia

After a day vernal equinox, which occurs from 20 to 22 March (each year is different, due to the leap shift of days), the day becomes longer than the night.

Among the Slavs, the holiday of the Forty Saints is associated with the day of the vernal equinox.... On this day, birds (larks) were baked from butter dough, and they called out the spring, and with it from distant lands, and the first birds.

In many Asian countries (former Soviet republics in Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran), the vernal equinox is the New Year.

In Russia (middle latitude), from the days of equinox and solstice, among the people, it is customary to start Countdown and seasons:

  • Spring - from 20 March to 20 June
  • Summer - from June 20 to September 20
  • Autumn - from 20 September to 20 December
  • Winter - from 20 December to 20 March

When is the longest day and shortest night of the year, and how many days are there?



The longest day of the year in central Russia

The longest day in 2017 fell on June 21. Several days, the days were just as long (17 hours 33 minutes), and since June 24, the days began to decrease.

When, from what date in summer, will daylight begin to decrease?



The day went down from June 24

If we take the data for Moscow, then the longest day was 17 hours 33 minutes.

For Moscow, the days will decrease in the following sequence:

  • By the end of June, the day decreased by 6 minutes, and became 17 hours 27 minutes
  • For July - for 1 hour 24 minutes, the duration of the day is 16 hours 3 minutes
  • For August - 2 hours 8 minutes, a day lasts 13 hours 51 minutes
  • Until the day of the equinox (September 24), the day will decrease by 1 hour 45 minutes, the length of the day is 12 hours 2 minutes

When does the night become longer than the day?



Autumn equinox day occurs from September 21 to 23, when the day is the same length as the night, about 12 o'clock. After this day, the night begins to increase and the day decreases.

After the day of the equinox, the length of the day decreases even more:

  • At the end of September, the day lasts 11 hours 35 minutes
  • In October, the day will decrease by 2 hours 14 minutes, and will be 9 hours 16 minutes at the end of the month
  • In November, the day decreases not so intensively, by 1 hour 44 minutes, the length of the day is 7 hours 28 minutes
  • Until the day of the winter solstice (December 21), the day will decrease by 28 minutes, the length of the day is 7 hours, the night is 17 hours

It is noteworthy that on days equal in duration to nights (autumn and spring equinoxes), the sun rises exactly in the east, and sets exactly in the west.

So, we found out when the longest and shortest day of the year.

Video: Days of Solstices and Equinoxes