Winter starts today, December 21st, (Wednesday), at 21:48.
This is the exact moment when the Winter Solstice occurs, an astronomical event that marks the beginning of that season.
This, which is usually the coldest season of the year in the northern hemisphere, will last until March 20, 2023, when the equinox occurs, which begins Spring (at 21:24 pm).
The day of the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and, consequently, the day with the longest night. The good news is that, from this date on, the days get longer and longer, until the next solstice, the summer solstice, on June 21, 2023, at 15:57 pm.
Solstices are «points on the ecliptic at which the Sun reaches the maximum and minimum heights (angular distance) in relation to the equator, that is, points at which the solar declination reaches extremes: maximum at the Summer solstice (+23° 26′) and minimum on the winter solstice (-23° 26′)», explains the Astronomical Observatory of Lisbon.
The word of Latin origin (Solstitium) is associated with the fact that the Sun stops its daily movement away from the equatorial plane and “parks” when it reaches its highest or lowest position in the local sky.
Winter is called the “Boreal winter” in the northern hemisphere, while it is called the “southern winter” in the southern hemisphere.
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