December Solstice 2023

The December solstice marks the sun’s southernmost point in the sky, for the entire globe, for this entire year. On this solstice, the sun will be overhead at noon as viewed from the Tropic of Capricorn. In 2023, the December solstice falls at 3:27 UTC on December 22 (that is 9:27 p.m. in central North America on December 21). In the Northern Hemisphere, the December solstice will mark the longest nights and shortest days of the year. For the Southern Hemisphere it will mark the shortest nights and longest days. Over the course of each year, the sun’s path across the sky changes a little bit each day. Depending on what time of year it is, that path is always getting a little bit higher or lower in the sky. Except on the solstices. The solstices are the moments in June and December when that movement stops and the sun’s path starts heading in the other direction. This apparent shift and the seasons themselves are caused by Earth’s tilt as it orbits the sun. What’s actually shifting is the angle of our view toward the sun depending on how far north or south of the equator you live. Most planets in our solar system have seasons, and solstices, too. At Mars, instead of every six months, the solstices are just under one Earth-year apart. Happy December Solstice Everyone! #wintersolstice #Decembersolstice #solstice Images credit: NASA/JPL, nemesis maturity channel Music credit: YouTube Audio Library Final Girl - Jeremy Blake