Tuesday is the winter solstice, a day which marks the beginning of winter for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s also the shortest day of the year, which is a nice silver lining when we think about the looming cloud of winter that will last for the next few months. At least from Tuesday on out, the days will get longer, and we’ll start to see more of our friend the sun.
The winter solstice is the point when the Earth’s axial tilt is farthest away from the sun, according to Wikipedia, lasting only a moment in time. The Huffington Post writes that this year, the Earth’s axis will hit its full tilt at 6:38 EST Tuesday night.
Throughout history many cultures have celebrated the winter solstice, with most recognizing the time as a period of rebirth involving holidays, festivals, gatherings, rituals and celebrations. According to The Huffington Post, the Mesopotamians are thought to be the first people to mark the winter solstice with a 12-day festival of renewal, though no one knows for sure exactly when humans began to honor the occasion.
This year’s winter solstice also marks the first time the event has occurred with a total lunar eclipse since 1638.
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