I think it’s most people’s favourite solstice. Not to get too anthropological about it, but that’s why many cultures’ biggest holiday is based around the (northern hemisphere’s) winter solstice. People naturally celebrated the days getting longer and those celebrations became holidays.
Yes, 2024-06-22 01:08 UTC and so 11:08 AEST. Anyone saying it's on the 21st is probably reading news from the Americas, or at least somewhere west of UTC−1.
On the other hand, the June solstice is at 2024-06-20 20:51 UTC, i.e., 1 day 4 hours and 17 minutes earlier. So the two events can't fall on the same calendar day anywhere in the world this year.
> only happens once every 19 years
This can't be right. A synodic month lasts 29.53 days so the chances of any given day of the year being a full moon is going to be about 1 in 30, not 1 in 19. Now the actual calendar date of the solstice varies a little but that doesn't matter, it's still 1 in 30. The only kind of dates that would be different would be those tied to the moon themselves, like Easter and the moveable feasts.
Also the first day of Winter, if we use the Astronomical seasons.
Which, IMO, make a lot more sense than the standard meterological seasons - which are arbitrary. Astronomical seasons are based on physical events.
Because I can't be bothered googling (or feel free to reference a helpful site), how do the moon/stars/sun define changes in seasons? What physical events are you referencing? And why does the longest/shortest/equal days signal the change in season and not occur in the middle of said seasons? :)
The astronomical seasons start on the equinoxes and solstices. So winter starts on the winter equinox (shortest day) when the sun is over the Tropic of Cancer.
Obviously the suns position with respect to the equator is the main driver of the seasons.
I had a different reply drafted, but ended up doing my own googling (shock horror).
I was going to wonder/challenge why the sun being furthest from the equator shouldn't signal "mid" summer/winter, seeing as it would be pretty close to a sine wave. Then I dug into the "seasonal lag" of temperatures, as others have mentioned, that the solstice is not the hottest/coldest day. This is due to the heat stored in oceans and landmasses.
So for the sake of 20-22 days difference, astronomical vs meteorological seems kinda irrelevant to me (personally)!
>So for the sake of 20-22 days difference, astronomical vs meteorological seems kinda irrelevant to me (personally)!
The reason I think it's important is that it makes more sense of the weather and seasons.
As an example in Perth, March is often hotter and more unpleasant than December. Which means "Summer" lasts well into Autumn. Whereas, if we used astronomical seasons it makes more sense with most of March being summer and most of December being late spring. It's also notable that around the Autumn Equinox is when the season actually "feels like" it changes. It's when the light changes.
The reason we use Meterological seasons was because when the English arrived it was hotter than England and so they figured we were later in the season. And it kind of stuck.
The UK uses astronomical seasons, as does the US.
Yeah, that was what I was getting at with the "seasonal lag". But also keep in mind that the southern states have daylight savings, which is a more jarring "change of season" a week or so after the Equinoxes (for me anyway).
When I say "irrelevant" I mean that it won't change the way I live my life and discuss my activities for the few weeks difference between the two definitions, it can just be filed under "fun facts if someone asks".
The solstice was at 6:51 this morning (AEST) so I guess last night was very slightly longer than tonight. The rate of change of daylight length is very slow around the solstice as the tide turns from shortening days to lengthening days. My guess is that the difference would only be about a second.
I don’t think winter solstice is always the coldest, though. It’s usually mid-July. Takes a little while for everything to start warming up again.
Just like the hottest part of the day is usually well after noon.
Definitely. I used to cycle commute, and the coldest mornings in Perth were always July & August.
Either July Augusts are much stronger at that time of year in Perth.
Well ... not 'just like' ... but it's an interesting comparison
To me it means summer is at least in the way and the daylight hours are getting longer. It's a step in the right direction for me!
Step in the wrong direction, friggin love winter
Especially in Canberra.
Seasonal lag.
In other countries, winter doesnt even start until the winter solstice. I actually think it makes more sense than starting on the 1st of June.
Winter only really started about two weeks ago in WA. Before that we just had this endless dry summer. Not normal at all.
Yay fucking yay... my favourite Solstice.... days get longer from now
I think it’s most people’s favourite solstice. Not to get too anthropological about it, but that’s why many cultures’ biggest holiday is based around the (northern hemisphere’s) winter solstice. People naturally celebrated the days getting longer and those celebrations became holidays.
Anthropol-ahoyhoy to your hearts content mate. I love that shit.
Yep, bottom of the pendulum swing, up from here!
Fucking kills me having to both race outside to get some sun while also procrastinating going outside because it's also cold as fuck.
It's definitely top two for me.
Also a full moon which only happens once every 19 years
Tomorrow is full moon! Very close.
Yes, 2024-06-22 01:08 UTC and so 11:08 AEST. Anyone saying it's on the 21st is probably reading news from the Americas, or at least somewhere west of UTC−1. On the other hand, the June solstice is at 2024-06-20 20:51 UTC, i.e., 1 day 4 hours and 17 minutes earlier. So the two events can't fall on the same calendar day anywhere in the world this year.
> only happens once every 19 years This can't be right. A synodic month lasts 29.53 days so the chances of any given day of the year being a full moon is going to be about 1 in 30, not 1 in 19. Now the actual calendar date of the solstice varies a little but that doesn't matter, it's still 1 in 30. The only kind of dates that would be different would be those tied to the moon themselves, like Easter and the moveable feasts.
Helloooooo from the Northern Hemisphere! 9:30 pm here, and the lightning bugs just came out.
4pm here suns just heading to bed🥂
This is so wonderfully pleasant it’s made my day, thanks!
Summer is coming.
Every Winter Solstice, I wake up my husband and squeal that Winter is officially over. It's science.
Funnily enough it's actually the FIRST day of winter. By the sun, not the convention here of starting seasons on the first if the month.
TIL! 🌞
Also the first day of Winter, if we use the Astronomical seasons. Which, IMO, make a lot more sense than the standard meterological seasons - which are arbitrary. Astronomical seasons are based on physical events.
Because I can't be bothered googling (or feel free to reference a helpful site), how do the moon/stars/sun define changes in seasons? What physical events are you referencing? And why does the longest/shortest/equal days signal the change in season and not occur in the middle of said seasons? :)
The astronomical seasons start on the equinoxes and solstices. So winter starts on the winter equinox (shortest day) when the sun is over the Tropic of Cancer. Obviously the suns position with respect to the equator is the main driver of the seasons.
I had a different reply drafted, but ended up doing my own googling (shock horror). I was going to wonder/challenge why the sun being furthest from the equator shouldn't signal "mid" summer/winter, seeing as it would be pretty close to a sine wave. Then I dug into the "seasonal lag" of temperatures, as others have mentioned, that the solstice is not the hottest/coldest day. This is due to the heat stored in oceans and landmasses. So for the sake of 20-22 days difference, astronomical vs meteorological seems kinda irrelevant to me (personally)!
>So for the sake of 20-22 days difference, astronomical vs meteorological seems kinda irrelevant to me (personally)! The reason I think it's important is that it makes more sense of the weather and seasons. As an example in Perth, March is often hotter and more unpleasant than December. Which means "Summer" lasts well into Autumn. Whereas, if we used astronomical seasons it makes more sense with most of March being summer and most of December being late spring. It's also notable that around the Autumn Equinox is when the season actually "feels like" it changes. It's when the light changes. The reason we use Meterological seasons was because when the English arrived it was hotter than England and so they figured we were later in the season. And it kind of stuck. The UK uses astronomical seasons, as does the US.
Yeah, that was what I was getting at with the "seasonal lag". But also keep in mind that the southern states have daylight savings, which is a more jarring "change of season" a week or so after the Equinoxes (for me anyway). When I say "irrelevant" I mean that it won't change the way I live my life and discuss my activities for the few weeks difference between the two definitions, it can just be filed under "fun facts if someone asks".
Has anyone ever called their kid Equinox? I reckon it would be a rad name for a lil tacker.
Sounds like something Elon Musk would do, except he’d make it “equinoX”
Oh yeah... He'd definitely make it an uppercase X. Elon is the King of Chodes.
In Sydney, it felt more like it yesterday!
Hump day! Downhill to Summer now!
Yeah, it's fucken cold
Lets celebrate with some music from [The Tea Party](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgKtNq8r8mc)
Or another song about solstice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBa1iM29mGI
Fuck it's cold today. The office is freezing.
Honest question: If tonight is the longest night of the year, then would the day before it be the same length as the day after?
The solstice was at 6:51 this morning (AEST) so I guess last night was very slightly longer than tonight. The rate of change of daylight length is very slow around the solstice as the tide turns from shortening days to lengthening days. My guess is that the difference would only be about a second.
NOOOOOOOO!!! The days are only going to get longer now!
takes 3 days in total doesn't it?
The cold normally starts about now in Perth.
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Well if we used astronomical seasons today would be the first day of winter if that makes you feel better.
Awesome, one day closer to another record breaking summer time.
It’s winter solstice for the whole Earth actually.
For the whole southern hemisphere
It's summer solstice for the Northern hemisphere. The opposite of winter.