At 09:20 UTC today, planet Earth's Northern Hemisphere entered the astronomical winter and the southern one stepped into summer.

Also known as the hibernal solstice, it marks the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. After today, the days are gradually becoming longer as the sun appears to rise higher in the sky.

This astronomical event occurs when the sun reaches its most southern point in the sky, resulting in the sun appearing at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky.

The winter solstice has been observed and celebrated by various cultures throughout history, with traditions and customs that reflect the astronomical significance of the event.

Ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Romans, and Chinese, all had their own unique ways of celebrating the winter solstice. For example, the ancient Egyptians celebrated the return of the sun god Ra by decorating their homes with greenery and lighting fires to symbolize the light and warmth that would soon return to the land. The Romans celebrated the winter solstice with the festival of Saturnalia, a week-long celebration in honor of the god Saturn. During this festival, people exchanged gifts, held feasts, and participated in various forms of entertainment.

Astronomy played a significant role in the winter solstice celebrations of ancient cultures. The winter solstice is an astronomical event that occurs when the Earth's tilt is at its maximum, resulting in the sun appearing at its lowest point in the sky. This event was seen as a time of renewal and rebirth, the victory of light over darkness, as the days would gradually begin to grow longer and the sun would return to its full strength.

Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument in England, is one of the most famous examples of a site that was built to align with the winter solstice. The monument consists of a circular arrangement of large standing stones, and on the morning of the winter solstice, the sun rises directly over the Heel Stone, a large standing stone located outside the main circle of the monument. This alignment suggests that the builders of Stonehenge had a deep understanding of astronomy and used this knowledge to create a monument that would mark the winter solstice.

Among the Celts, one of the most important traditions was the celebration of Yule, a festival that marked the rebirth of the sun and the return of longer days. This celebration was observed by lighting bonfires, decorating homes with evergreen boughs, and feasting with family and friends.

Christianity also used the winter solstice as a way to incorporate pagan traditions into the celebration of Christmas. The winter solstice was a time of great significance for many ancient cultures, and the early Christian church saw an opportunity to incorporate these traditions into the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The date of December 25 was chosen for Christmas, as it was the date of the winter solstice in the Roman calendar. This allowed the Church to incorporate pagan traditions, such as the use of evergreen trees and the burning of candles, into the celebration of Christmas.

[📸 Nick Bull / stonehenge_dronescapes]