Would you like to hear some stories about the rich history of the season?
Stories from other cultures and other times?
Here's your chance...
*warning- this talk may offend Christians who wish to maintain
that Christ is the reason for the season
WhAt is Solstice?
The word solstice comes from the latin sol - 'sun'
and sistot (a form of sistere) which translates to' standing still'
So the word solstice means - 'sun standing still'
As the ancient peoples watched the skies, each culture came to realize that the days got shorter as autumn proceeded. Careful sun watchers and early astronomers took note of the rising and falling of the sun and they charted an alarming observation. As the winter dug in, the sun stopped traveling along the horizon in its rising and setting. It rose and fell in exactly the same spot for days, rising lower and lower in the sky each morning.
During the days where the sun stood still, it seemed to be struggling for its very life. The people of the earth despaired, for if the sun abandoned them, or was taken from them, it would mean the death of every living thing
photo by nasa
axial tilt is the reason for the season
The planet earth does not sit perfectly up and down on its imaginary axis in respect to its positioning.
In fact, the earth tilts about 23 degrees off its axis.
This means as it goes around the sun, some parts are farther away from the sun than others.
This causes the effect of the shortening of days and nights that we associate with the solstices.
Sample image showing tilt of earth. Created by Wapcaplet in Blender. (pink line is the earth's axis)
Are you curious to know if any of the streets in your city align to the Solstice?
https://sztanko.github.io/solsticestreets/