Winter Solstice

Today is the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. It is the Solar New Year, celebrated as the return of the sun and often associated with rebirth. Also called the first day of winter, it may also sometimes be called Midwinter, as seasonal distinctions vary with latitude, climate, and culture.

This is the day when the sun appears lowest in the sky at noon. The actual astronomical event occurred at 9:48 PST this morning. The Earth reached the point in its orbit where the North Pole pointed most away from the Sun, due to the tilt of the Earth's axis. This is when the sun shone directly over the tropic of Capricorn.

At last, the days will begin to lengthen again. The light returns to end the domination of the dark. We can imagine that spring will come again, even if the spring equinox is a quarter of a year away.

"Even the winter holds the promise of spring."

Copyright Sue Redding.