The night from 21 to 22 December will be the longest in 2018 in the entire northern hemisphere. This phenomenon occurs for the reason that it is at this time that the inclination of the Earth's axis of rotation relative to the Sun becomes greatest. In the calendar, this date is called the Winter Solstice.
Exact date and time winter solstice in 2018:
- GMT time - 21 December 22 hours 23 minutes GMT
- Kiev time - December 22 at 00 hours 23 minutes
- Moscow time - December 22 at 01:23
December 21 and 22 are the shortest days of the year, and between them is the longest night of the year. Astronomical summer begins in the Southern Hemisphere at the time of the winter solstice. In astrology, the winter solstice is the moment the Sun passes into the constellation Capricorn and the beginning of astronomical winter, which will last right up to the day of the vernal equinox.
- Video: Solstice and Equinox
The sun affects the earth. The fiery planet radiates light streams, and since our planet rotates around its axis, it turns out day and night.
- The fiery planet brings heat to the Earth, which, as a result of the movement of our planet around the celestial luminary, causes the change of seasons.
- The days of the equinox and solstice speak of astronomical seasonality.
- What are these days and when do they come? How does the day decrease and increase during these periods? You will find answers to these and other questions in this article.
What are the days of the spring and autumn equinoxes: definition
Summer solstice
An equinox is an astronomical event. During such a period, the Fiery Planet passes through the celestial equator. If you observe from space distance, then these days the light division line (terminator) goes clearly along the poles and it is located perpendicular to the earth's equator.
- Such a day is a unique natural manifestation. Centre solar planet crosses the equator in the sky.
- On this day, our planet is tilted in such a way that the stream of rays goes straight towards the equator.. The sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern. Almost throughout the Earth, day equals night.
- In a day autumn equinox The sun moves from the northern hemisphere to the southern. Accordingly, in this hemisphere, March 21 is the autumn equinox, and September 23 is the spring equinox.
- The time period between two identical equinoxes is called a tropical year and it is equal to 365.2422 days.
Due to the fact that the value is inaccurate, but approximate, the equality between day and night every year falls on different time day, moving forward 6 hours. After 4 years, 1 day is added and this year is called a leap year.
The position of the sun on the equinoxes
Equinox days are a kind of limit for the movement of the Fiery Planet from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern - in autumn, and vice versa in spring. This is typical for the territory of our planet, which is located above the equatorial zone. These days, the heavenly luminary rises clearly in the east and hides behind the horizon in the west. This will be the position of the "bright" planet in the days when day and night are compared in their time - in autumn and spring.
But such a phenomenon will definitely be observed on the territory in the region of 23.5 ° north or south latitude. In other areas, there may be little movement towards the north or south.
Spring equinox day in 2018: date, longitude of the day
The spring equinox is an important period in the annual seasonality.
- This day is considered the beginning of astronomical spring. Our ancestors and modern people are looking forward to this period - warm days are coming after winter and cold weather, and daylight hours are now beginning to “add”.
- Such a date is not considered fixed and every 365 days it can be in a different time period.
- The spring equinox in 2018 is March 20th.
At this time, daylight is equal to dark. Then every day it begins to increase by 1 minute, and during the summer solstice, the day will be the longest of the year.
Autumn equinox day in 2018: date, longitude of the day
Astronomical autumn begins at the autumnal equinox.
On the day of the autumnal equinox, the second time in a year, when day equals night.
What are the days of the summer and winter solstice: definition
Solstice - translated from Latin "solstitium" means "the sun has stopped".
June 20th or 21st tilt of the axis of rotation of our planet from the side North Pole in relation to the Sun has the smallest value.
December 21st and 22nd, The sun in the Northern Hemisphere shines on the Southern Tropic.
- In this case, the axis of rotation of our planet from the side of the North Pole in the direction from the Sun takes on the greatest value.
- On this day in the Northern Hemisphere, the shortest day and longest night is the winter solstice.
- In the Southern Hemisphere, on the contrary, the summer solstice.
- Due to the shift in leap years, the days of the solstices may be different, but this difference is no more than 1 day.
The position of the sun at the solstice
The periods between the two solstices are the times when the sun moves sideways above the horizon and below this line. The movement of the celestial body is similar in trajectory to a sinusoid. In winter it falls lower, in summer it rises higher. The angle between the sun and the horizon on our planet is:
- June - 90 degrees
- December - 270 degrees
A couple of days before and after the solstice period, the heavenly Luminary “freezes” at one point at 12 noon. But you won't be able to watch it directly overhead. You need to go above the equator at 23.5 degrees in summer and similarly at 23.5 degrees south latitude in winter. So you will see the Sun directly vertically above you.
Date of the summer solstice in 2018: day length, shortest night
The date of the summer solstice is the time when the Sun is at its highest. In 2018, this date falls on June 21st. During this period - the longest day and the shortest night of the year.
Date of the winter solstice in 2018: day length, shortest day
The ancient Slavs called this day the Day of renewal and the birth of the Sun. Some nations even celebrated New Year on the winter solstice. Date of the winter solstice in 2018: December 21. During this period, the longest night and the shortest day.
How does the day decrease after the summer solstice: graph
Decreasing day after summer solstice
As mentioned above, there is a decrease in the day after the period of the summer solstice every day by 1 minute. Above in the graph you can see the longitude of the day in hours, it is marked in green. Permanent day is shown in brown and night in white.
How does the day increase after the winter solstice: graph
Analemma - curved line in the form of a figure eight. It is written by the Sun in the sky during the calendar year. To draw such a curve, you need to fix the heavenly luminary at the same time. Thanks to such an analemma, you can see how the Sun moves - rises and falls. After the winter solstice, there is an increase in the day every day by 1 minute.
Days of Equinox and Solstice: Rites and Magic
Astrologers assure that the days of the solstices are the most dangerous period of the year. The energy of these days is weakened and can affect the internal state of a person. But folk omens claim the opposite. The days of the equinoxes are not as difficult, but they also have magical powers.
Thanks to magical rites, you can strengthen your energy and avoid the negative influence of the solar planet during these difficult periods. Meet this magical period with a good mood, so as not to enhance the already complex energy of such days. No one should disturb the internal state of a person, even such changes in nature as the equinox and solstice.
The night from 21 to 22 December is special. First, it will be the moment of the Winter Solstice (1:23 am on December 22 Moscow time). Secondly, the Moon will be in the phase of the full moon, its maximum light, and also in Taurus - the sign of its exaltation (Vedic horoscope).
Equinox Day 2018
The night from 21 to 22 December will be the longest in 2018 in the entire northern hemisphere. This phenomenon occurs for the reason that it is at this time that the inclination of the Earth's axis of rotation relative to the Sun becomes greatest. In the calendar, this date is called the Winter Solstice. The exact date and time of the winter solstice in 2018: GMT - December 21 22 hours 23 minutes GMT Kiev time - December 22 at 00 hours 23 minutes Moscow time - December 22 at 01 hours 23 minutes December 21 and 22 - the shortest days of the year, and between them is the longest night of the year. Astronomical summer begins in the Southern Hemisphere at the time of the winter solstice. In astrology, the winter solstice is the moment the Sun passes into the constellation Capricorn and the beginning of astronomical winter, which will last right up to the day of the vernal equinox.
WHY IS THIS DAY IMPORTANT?
First, we have 4 important points in the wheel of the year - spring and autumn equinoxes, summer and winter solstices. They divide the solar year into a cross - a key symbol of the cyclicity of the universe and the Sun (Slavic and Vedic swastikas).
Each of these 4 stages has its own qualities, and on the day of the Winter Solstice, we in the northern hemisphere experience the longest, darkest night, after which the day begins to grow.
Secondly, in 2018 this day coincides with the full moon - a special phase of the moon, in which we receive the maximum light of the night star. This day is very important for practices and work with intention, rituals are performed on it.
BEGINNING OF A NEW CYCLE
The Winter Solstice is the moment of the rebirth of the Sun, when its light will be more and more. Within our human cycle, this corresponds to a spiritual uplift, a movement from darkness to light. The full moon amplifies the energies of this day, further charging the practices and intentions worth doing on this day.
Do not overlook such an important day in the annual cycle. Our ancestors always performed festive rituals on such days, which showed their deep understanding of the laws of the universe, connection with the cycles of nature, life in harmony with the outside world and the cosmos. Recommended practices:
1. Purification. To enter into the new, one must leave the old. Therefore, it will be very good to do cleansing practices the day before:
- House cleaning getting rid of old things.
- Body cleansing. Any available and shown to your health way of cleansing or unloading the body.
- Repayment of debts, completion of "defects". Sit down and make a list of what you owe someone or once promised, or maybe promised yourself, started and did not finish. Some things you can complete before December 22, and some things in the near future to make room for a new cycle.
- Forgiveness and letting go of grudges. Practice forgiveness. Remember and write down the situations, the people you have grievances against, write the words of forgiveness, speak out loud, release them from the emotional field with gratitude. Burn this piece of paper. K. Tipping's book "Radical Forgiveness" will help you.
Our ancestors knew and honored the laws of nature, so they celebrated events such as the winter solstice.
Despite tremendous progress, even modern technologies unable to break the magic of natural cycles: the lunar day will not change places, and summer will not come after autumn.
In 2018, the winter solstice will occur on December 22 at 01:23 am Moscow time. On this day, the Sun reaches its lowest position. Further, at the end of December and January, daylight hours become longer.
In astrology, on this day the Sun moves from the zodiac sign Sagittarius to Capricorn, and astrological winter begins.
Note that on the night of December 21-22, astronomical winter begins. This is because the height of the sun in the sky is the lowest on this day. In the old days, on this day, our ancestors celebrated it at night, before sunrise. Various rituals and conspiracies were performed.
The traditions of many peoples implied the celebration of the winter solstice as the birth of a new Sun.
It is worth saying that our ancestors tried to prepare their homes for the Winter Solstice: a general cleaning was carried out, and the rooms and houses were decorated outside with spruce branches.
The day of the winter solstice among the Slavs was considered the New Year. The celebration was called in honor of Kolyada, the god of the new Sun.
As for the longest day, it is observed on June 22, then in the future it gradually declines. At the end of June, the days begin to slowly decrease, and by December they will reach their minimum. In the most northern cities even the polar night will come.
In turn, the day of the autumn equinox occurs from September 21 to 23, when the day is the same length as the night. After this day, the night begins to increase and the day to decrease.
According to universal time, the spring equinox occurs on March 22, when the Sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern. This is the period when the day is almost equal to the night.
The spring and autumn equinoxes are an astronomical phenomenon in which day equals night, they mark the change of seasons. We know that the spring and autumn equinoxes occur at the moment when our Sun crosses the celestial equator in its annual movement along the ecliptic. These points, respectively, are in the constellations of Pisces and Virgo. The day of the vernal equinox is the beginning of astronomical spring.
On the days of the solstices, our daylight reaches the extreme points of its annual path through the sky - in summer it deviates 23.4 degrees north of the celestial equator, in winter - 23.4 degrees south. Therefore, in June, the Sun illuminates the northern hemisphere of the Earth more - and at the time of the solstice summer comes here, - and at the end of December - the south, and at this time we have winter (and summer in the southern hemisphere).
Below you can see the exact dates of the spring and autumn equinoxes for the city of Moscow, just like the winter and summer solstices.
| event | date Time |
| spring equinox | March 20 at 19:15 Tue |
| summer solstice | June 21 at 13:07 th |
| autumnal equinox | 23 september at 04:54 sun |
| winter solstice | December 22 at 01:22 Sat |
These dates were among the most revered in the pre-Christian period. Solstice, rotation, equinox, solstice - the names of solar holidays, which are also called the four hypostases of the Slavic Dazhdbog, which is the Sun itself - the son of Svarog.
Kolyada - winter solstice (December 21-22);
- Maslenitsa or Komoyeditsy - the day of the vernal equinox (March 21-22);
- Kupailo (Kupala) - summer solstice (June 21-22);
- Radogoshch (Svetovit, Veresen, Tausen) - autumn equinox (September 22-23);
Kolyada is the winter solstice or the longest night of the year. During this period, the young sun Kolyada replaces the old sun Svetovit. Because the daylight hours from this day begins to increase. Replaced by the church on Christmas Day.
Maslenitsa or Komoyeditsy - the day of the spring equinox (day and night are equal in time), farewell to winter, burning of the effigy of Madder, meeting of spring and the Slavic New Year. The date March 21-22 is also the beginning of astronomical spring. The day from this day becomes longer than the night. Yarilo-Sun replaces Kolyada and drives away Zima-Marena. Traditionally, this circle was celebrated for two whole weeks.
Kupailo is the day of the summer solstice. The longest day and shortest night of the year. The last day of the Rusal Week or Mermaids. Kupala is one of the oldest holidays that has preserved many traditions and customs unchanged to this day, for example: the funeral of Yarila, who is replaced by the God of the summer sun Kupala, gathering medicinal herbs, searching for a fern flower, etc. Kupailo is also a great holiday, which is now replaced by the church on the birthday of John the Baptist.
Radogoshch (Svetovit, Veresen, Tausen) - the day of the autumn equinox (day and night are equal in time). On this day, the Sun-Old Man Svetovit takes over. The night is getting longer than the day. It is both a solar holiday and a holiday of the end of the harvest. Replaced by church for Christmas holy mother of God.
Day of equinox and solstice by year:March
June
September
December
Equinox- the moment when the center of the Sun in its apparent movement along the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator.
The spring equinox occurs either on March 21, when the Sun moves from the southern hemisphere to the northern, and the autumn equinox, or on September 23, when it moves from the north to the south. These days, for all places on the Earth (excluding the regions of the earth's poles), the day is almost equal to the night ("almost" - due to refraction, the fact that the Sun is not a point source of light, but a disk, and also due to the fact that he the equinox is offset from 6 or 18 hours local solar time). On the days of the spring equinox and the autumn equinox, the Sun rises almost exactly in the east and sets almost exactly in the west. Whereas after the spring equinox (in the northern hemisphere) it rises north of the east and sets north of the west, and after the autumn equinox it rises south of the east and sets south of the west.
The points of intersection of the celestial equator with the ecliptic are called equinoxes. Because of the ellipticity of its orbit, the Earth moves from the autumnal equinox to the spring equinox rather than from the spring to the autumnal equinox. Due to the precession of the earth's axis, the relative position of the equator and the ecliptic is slowly changing; this phenomenon is called the prelude of the equinoxes. During the year, the position of the equator changes so that the Sun arrives at the equinox 20 minutes 24 seconds earlier than the Earth completes a complete orbit. As a result, the position of the equinoctial points on the celestial sphere changes. From the point of the vernal equinox, right ascensions are counted along the celestial equator, longitudes along the ecliptic. Determining the position of this fictitious point on the celestial sphere is one of the main tasks of practical astronomy.
The spring and autumn equinoxes are considered the astronomical beginning of the seasons of the same name. The interval between two equinoxes of the same name is called a tropical year, which is adopted for measuring time. The tropical year is approximately 365.2422 solar days, so the equinox falls at different times of the day, moving forward each time by almost 6 hours. The Julian year has 365¼ days. The intercalary day of a leap year returns the equinox to the previous number of the year. But the tropical year is slightly shorter than the Julian one, and the equinox is actually slowly receding in the Julian calendar. In the Gregorian chronology, due to the omission of 3 days in 400 years, it is almost motionless (the average Gregorian year is 365.2425 days).
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See what the "Day of the Spring Equinox" is in other dictionaries:
Day of spring equinox- The time when the center of the Sun in its apparent movement along the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator is called an equinox. The Earth at this time is in such a position in relation to the Sun, when both hemispheres, from the equator to the poles, heat up ... ... Encyclopedia of newsmakers
Astronomical spring, or the day of the vernal equinox- March 21 is the day of the onset of astronomical spring, it is also called the day of the vernal equinox. At this time, the Earth is in such a position with respect to the Sun, when both hemispheres, from the equator to the poles, heat up relatively equally. Encyclopedia of newsmakers
Autumn equinox day- September 23, 2013 at 00 hours 44 minutes Moscow time (MSK) the Sun will once again cross the celestial equator and move from the northern hemisphere celestial sphere to the south. The day of the autumnal equinox will come, astronomical autumn in ... ... Encyclopedia of newsmakers
Autumn equinox (holiday)- The day of the autumn equinox, the time of commemoration of deceased relatives and visiting their graves
green day- (Jap. みどりの日 Midori no hi?) is a public holiday in Japan. Since 2007, celebrated on May 4; in 1989 2006, celebrated on April 29. Part of the Japanese Golden Week. Until 1989, April 29 was the birthday of Emperor Showa ... ... Wikipedia
coming of age day- (jap. 成人 の日 seijin no hi?) Japanese public holiday, which is celebrated on the second Monday of January (one of the "happy Mondays"). On this day, all the Japanese who turned 20 over the past year celebrate their ... ... Wikipedia
Labor Thanksgiving Day- Labor Thanksgiving Day is an echo of the traditional Japanese harvest gratitude holiday. Labor Thanksgiving Day ... Wikipedia
Equinox, implies at least elementary knowledge of astronomical terms, because the equinox itself is a phenomenon studied by this particular science.
Required knowledge of astronomical terms
Our luminary makes its movement along the ecliptic, which is, speaking in unscientific terms, the plane of the earth's orbit. And the moment when the sun, making its way along the ecliptic, crosses the celestial equator, which is big circle air and parallel to the earth's equator (their planes coincide, and both of them are perpendicular to the axis of the world), is called an equinox. also an astronomical concept that has nothing to do with Schwarzenegger) is a line that separates any heavenly body on the part illuminated by the sun and on the "night". So, on the day of the equinox, it is this terminator that passes through the geographic poles of the Earth and divides it into two equal semi-ellipses.
The salient feature in the name
The name itself contains the concept that on the day of the equinox, night and day are equal to each other. From a scientific point of view, the night is always a little shorter, and the sun rises and sets not exactly in the east and west, but a little to the north. But all the same, since childhood, we know that June 22 is not only the day the war began and school proms (this was the case in Soviet time), but also the summer equinox. However, December 22 is also called the summer and winter solstices. This happens because the sun in these periods of time is either at the highest point above the horizon, or at the lowest, and farthest from the celestial equator. That is, on the day of the equinox, the light and dark parts of the day are almost equal to each other.
The number characteristic of the equinox and solstice
On the days of the solstices, one of them - either day or night - maximally exceeds the other. The equinoxes and solstices are also notable for the fact that they serve as the beginning of the seasons. These dates are very remarkable, and always one of the family members says that, they say, today is the longest or shortest day, or that today the day is equal to the night. And this distinguishes him from a series of consecutive days. Almost always, the date of these moments becomes the 22nd, but there are also leap years, and other moments and phenomena of astronomy that affect the date shift by the 21st or 23rd. The months of March, June, September and December are those in which the equinoxes and solstices fall.
Holidays that came from ancient times
Of course, they have been known since ancient times. Our ancestors observed them and connected their lives with these dates, dozens of witnesses will accept this. For the ancient Slavs, a certain holiday is associated with each of these days, and it usually lasts a week (Carols, Rusalia, Maslenitsa week). So, on the winter solstice, Kolyada falls, a holiday later timed to coincide with Christmas. Velikden, or Komoyeditsa, she is Shrovetide - these names mark the spring equinox, the birth of the young sun. From this day, the astrological solar year begins, and our luminary passes into from the South. Maybe that's why March 20 is the holiday of astrology. Kupala (other names Ivan-day, Solstice), or summer opposition, - big summer holiday of the ancient Slavs, covered with legends, glorifying the brave people going that night to look for a fern flower. Ovsen-Tausen, the day of the autumn equinox, after which winter slowly begins to come into its own, and the nights become longer. Therefore, our ancestors in Svyatovit (another name) lit candles - the most beautiful was put in a place of honor.
Earth's Special Climate Zone
All these dates served as reference points for the start of certain activities necessary for life - seasonal types of farming, building or stocking up for the winter. The days of the spring and autumn equinoxes are also characterized by the fact that the sun gives off its light and heat equally to both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, and its rays reach both poles. These days it is located above the territory of such a climatic zone of the Earth as the tropics (translated from Greek means turning circle). In different directions from the equator to 23-odd degrees, parallel to it are the northern and southern tropics. characteristic feature the area enclosed between them is that over them twice a year the Sun reaches its zenith - once on June 22 over the northern tropic, or the tropic of Cancer, the second time over the southern, or tropic of Capricorn. It happens on December 22nd. This is typical for all latitudes. North and south of the tropics at its zenith, the Sun never appears.
One of the consequences of the shift in the direction of the earth's axis
On the days of the equinox and solstice, it intersects with the celestial equator at points located in (spring) and Virgo (autumn), and on the days of greatest and least distance from the equator, that is, on the days of the summer and winter solstices, in the constellations of Taurus and Sagittarius, respectively . The summer solstice moved from the zodiac constellation Gemini to Taurus in 1988. Under the influence of the attraction of the Sun and the Moon, the earth's axis slowly shifts its direction (precession is another astronomical term), as a result of which the points of intersection of the star with the celestial equator also shift. Spring dates differ from autumn dates, and if September falls on the 22nd-23rd, then the question “When is the day of the vernal equinox?” The answer will be - March 20th. It must be noted that for the Southern Hemisphere, the dates will change places - autumn will become spring, because everything is vice versa there.
The role of the zodiac constellations
As noted above, the equinoxes are the points of intersection of the celestial equator with the ecliptic, and they have their own zodiac symbols corresponding to the constellations in which they are located: spring - Aries, summer - Cancer, autumn - Libra, winter - Capricorn. It should be noted that the time interval between two equinoxes of the same name is called a tropical year, the number of solar days in which differs from approximately 6 hours. And only thanks to the leap year, which repeats once every 4 years, the date of the next equinox, running forward, returns to the previous number. With the Gregorian year, the difference is negligible (tropical - 365.2422 days, Gregorian - 365.2425), because this modern calendar arranged so that even in the long term, the dates of the solstices and equinoxes fall on the same dates. This happens because it provides for a pass of 3 days once every 400 years.
One of the most important practical tasks of astronomy is the establishment of the date of the equinox
Dates range from 1 to 2, no more than days. So how to determine for the coming years when the day of the equinox? It is noticed that as a result of the presence of small fluctuations, the earliest dates, that is, the 19th, fall on leap years. Naturally, the latest (22) falls directly on the preceding leap years. Very rarely there are earlier and later dates, the memory of them is kept for centuries. So, back in 1696, the spring equinox fell on March 19, and in 1903, the autumn equinox fell on September 24. Contemporaries will not see such deviations, because the record of 1696 will be repeated in 2096, and the latest equinox (September 23) will occur no earlier than 2103. There are nuances associated with local time - the deviation in the figure from the world only happens when the exact date falls on 24:00. Indeed, to the west of the reference point - the zero meridian - new day hasn't arrived yet.
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