The shortest day of the year is today
Did you know the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere (the winter solstice) is today? Here is more information.
Today is the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere (the winter solstice).
Vox Weather forecaster Annette Bota said the winter solstice in South Africa takes place today.
She said in simple terms, you might hear it referred to as the shortest day of the year.
“When people say “the shortest day of the year”, they’re not actually talking about the length of the day — because each day is pretty much 24 hours long — but the amount of time the Sun is visible above the horizon.
According to Botha, it could be more precise and say it is the day with the least number of daylight hours.
She furthermore explained that this happens because the Earth tilts at about 23 degrees, meaning that when one side is closest to the Sun, the other side is furthest away.
“As the Earth does a lap around the Sun each year, different parts of the planet get more sunlight than others.
“That’s why it’s winter in South Africa and summer in Europe. So when the Southern Hemisphere has winter solstice, it’s summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.”
According to Botha in Latin, “solstice” roughly translates to “Sun’s standstill.”
“As midwinter approaches, we see the Sun rise at a point further northward on the horizon each day.
“On some day, that point stops moving northward, then moves southward.”
She says the winter solstice is the day on which it stopped or stood still.
