Sat Dec 21 15:48:20 UTC 2024: ## Winter Solstice Arrives, Marking Shortest Day of the Year
**NEW YORK (AP)** — The winter solstice arrived on Saturday, December 21st, bringing the shortest day and longest night of the year to the Northern Hemisphere. While those in the north bundled up for the occasion, residents of the Southern Hemisphere enjoyed the summer solstice.
The solstice, a result of the Earth’s tilted axis and orbit around the sun, marks the point where the Northern Hemisphere is tilted furthest away from the sun. This astronomical event has been observed and celebrated for centuries, with ancient monuments like Stonehenge and Machu Picchu’s Torreon strategically aligned to track its occurrence.
From Sunday onward, the days will gradually lengthen in the Northern Hemisphere until the summer solstice in late June. The opposite occurs in the Southern Hemisphere. Spring and autumn equinoxes, occurring around March and September respectively, mark periods of roughly equal day and night length across both hemispheres.
The article also highlights the difference between astronomical seasons (defined by the Earth’s position relative to the sun) and meteorological seasons (defined by weather patterns). Meteorological seasons use a three-month calendar, independent of the solstices and equinoxes.
First Piper 