 |
What is a solstice? |
Our Planet
You may have heard someone say that the Earth is tilted on its axis. That just means that the Earth, as it travels around the Sun, isn’t standing straight up. It’s actually leaning a little bit!
This tilt is the reason we have seasons, but it also causes two events a year called solstices. A solstice happens when the part of the Earth’s equator (the imaginary line drawn around the middle of the Earth) that faces the Sun is tilted at its highest or lowest point.
In the Northern half of the world, the Summer Solstice happens on June 20th or June 21st. With the Equator tilted to its lowest point, the Northern half of the world gets its longest day in the Sun of the entire year. The Summer Solstice gives us the most hours of daylight, and it also gives us the shortest nighttime. It’s usually a great day for people who love the Sun!
People who enjoy nighttime will be happier on the Winter Solstice. With the equator titled to its highest point, there is the least amount of daytime and a very long nighttime. The Winter Solstice happens on December 21st or December 22nd.
In the Southern half of the world, seasons are reversed and so are the solstices!
Journey to the Tropics
Besides the equator, there are some other important imaginary lines on the globe. They are the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Can you find them on a globe or map?
The Tropic of Cancer passes through countries like Egypt and Mexico. If you stood on the Tropic of Cancer during the Summer (June) Solstice, at noon, the Sun would be directly overhead.
The Tropic of Capricorn runs below the Equator through Australia, Argentina, and South Africa. If you stood there during the Winter (December) Solstice, the Sun would be directly overhead at Noon.
On Solstices, these two lines are titled directly toward the Sun!
