The longest night of the year by STUDIO TERP infographics

The Longest Night of the year The longest night rotation direction I axis of the Earth Is a term often used for the day the winter solstice occurs. Since this event lasts only a moment in time other terms used are "midwinter " or "the shortest day": (Winter solstice is also known as: December solstice, southern solstice, Solstitium Brumalis.) Axial tilt 23,5° north pole -Arctic circle- Tropic of Cancer Vernal equinox -Equator - Tropic of Capricorn -- Summer solstice Sun Winter solstice Winter solstice orbit direction of the Earth around the sun Is the time at which the sun is appearing at noon at its lowest altitude above the horizon. In the Northern Hemisphere this is the Southern solstice, the time at which the sun is at its southernmost point in the sky, directly over the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere which usually occurs on December 21 to 22 each year. In the Southern Hemisphere this is the Northern solstice, the time at which the sun is at its northernmost point in the sky, which usually occurs on June 20 to 21 each year. Autumnal equinox Solstice It's an astronomical event that happens twice a year as the sun reaches its highest or lowest excursion relative to the equator. The word solstice comes from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the sun stands still in declination (the seasonal movement of the sun's path (as seen from Earth) comes to a stop before reversing direction). Celebrating Winter Solstice Worldwide, interpretation of the event has varied from culture to culture, but most Northern Hemisphere cultures have held a recognition of rebirth, involving holidays , festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations around that time. 1 Beaivi (Norway. Sweden, Finland) 5 Şeva Zistanê (Kurdistan region) 2 St. Lucia (Scandinavia) 3 Ziemassvētki (Latvia) 4 Montol (England - Penzance) 6 Deygān, Maidyarem (Iran) 7 Yaldā (Iran) 8 Chawmos (northern Pakistan) 9 Makara Sankranti (Hindu, India and Nepal) 10 Dongzhi (China and East Asia) 11 Goru (Mali) 12 Maruaroa o Takurua (Mãori, New Zealand) 16 Soyalangwul (Zuni people and Hopi people, Narth America) 13 Midwinter (research stations, Antarctica) 14 We Tripantu (southern Chile) 15 Inti Raymi (Inca, Peru - Cusco) Other (derived) midwinter festivities: Christmas (Natalis Domini), Saturnalia, Karachun, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule, Hogmanay. Wren day. New Year's Eve, Alban Arthan. 16 10 equator 15 12 14 (Size of sun indicates relative size of nation/tribe celebrating solstice) 13 Famous Ancient Observatories Germany: The Goseck circle Bolivia: The Gate of the Sun Many observations are of the day of the solstice rather than the instant. (It is not possible to detect the actual instant of the solstice, by definition, one can not observe that an object has stopped moving until one makes a second observation in time showing that it has not moved further from the preceding spot, or that it has moved in the opposite direction) This is often done by watching the sunrise and sunset or vice versa or using an astronomically aligned instrument that allows a ray of light to cast on a certain point around that time. England: Stonehenge Ireland: Newgrange Duration of the night 21 december, longest night of 2014 During the year 2014 as measured by KNMI in De Bilt, Netherlands 15 14 13 12 11 10 2 October November December May July August September hours February April June March January O by Studio Terp infographics STUDIO TERP sources: www.knmi.nl/klimatologie, wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice, wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwinter, wikipedia.org/wiki/Solstice, www.universetoday.com/55709/solstice/ DO 4-