Happy Winter Solstice; it is the shortest day of the year.

Posted By on December 21, 2021

DrJamesODonoghue_400x400The planetary astronomer and science guru, Dr. James O’Donoghue, that I follow on Twitter posted a great video illustration that explains today, December 21st … or more appropriately a couple of days that occur as the seasons change.

Today is the winter solstice and it marks the shortest day in the northern hemisphere. On December 21st (or 22nd), the earth receives the least amount of sunlight and the short illustration below best explains the tilt of the Earth and how it effects our seasons and why it happens (the tilt is the relative position to the earths north pole pointing as it points towards the star called Polaris). This tilted position, while making an elliptical path around the sun, brings us the winter solstice and the opposite happening, usually June 21st or 22nd, called the summer solstice or the longest day of the year (these dates depend on the shift of the calendar). Check it out.

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  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
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