Winter Solstice 2023: Amidst the festive glow of holiday lights and seasonal celebrations, it's easy to overlook the approaching darkest day of the year on December 21 - the winter solstice.

For those residing in the Northern Hemisphere, the impending winter solstice holds significance, heralding the shortest day and the longest night of the year. As the event draws near, here's a comprehensive guide for the over 6 billion people living north of the equator.

What exactly is the winter solstice?

Scheduled for Thursday, December 21, the winter solstice signifies the Northern Hemisphere's shortest day and longest night of the year. According to NASA, solstices, occurring twice annually, mark moments when "the sun's path appears farthest north or south, depending on which half of the planet you're on."

This phenomenon arises due to the Earth's tilted axis, leading to the winter solstice when the Northern Hemisphere tilts farthest away from the sun. At 10:27 p.m. ET, this alignment will reach its peak. Concurrently, the Southern Hemisphere experiences its polar opposite, basking in the most direct sunlight.

Is December 21 unequivocally the shortest day?

Indeed, December 21 stands as the shortest day in the United States due to diminished direct sunlight. NASA notes that "All locations north of the equator see daylight shorter than 12 hours and all locations south see daylight longer than 12 hours" during this time.

Why is the winter solstice deemed the onset of winter?

Both solstices, including the winter solstice, mark the commencement of astronomical winter and summer seasons.

Distinguished from meteorological seasons - which divide the year into three-month periods based on temperature cycles - astronomical seasons are identified by solstices and equinoxes, moments when the sun aligns directly over the equator.

What follows the winter solstice?

Optimistically, each day following the solstice in the Northern Hemisphere will gradually offer more daylight until the arrival of the summer solstice on June 20, 2024.

How did ancient civilizations honor the winter solstice?

For millennia, ancient societies recognized the significance of solstices. Remarkable structures such as Stonehenge and Machu Picchu's Torreon were ingeniously designed to track the sun's movements in relation to the Earth, as noted by NASA.

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