When is the longest day and shortest day of the year. The shortest day of the year has come for the Russians The longest night of the year number

Surely each of you at least once, but it was interesting when is the shortest and longest day of the year. In fact, the answer to this question is very simple and has been known for a long time. By the way, this phenomenon even has its own name - the day of the solstice.

Solstice types

There are two types of solstice - summer and winter, in which the longest and shortest daylight hours are observed on the surface of the planet, respectively. As for the winter solstice, it occurs in the northern hemisphere of the Earth and occurs either on December 21 or 22 - the length of daylight hours is only 5 hours 53 minutes, after which it begins to grow. Accordingly, the longest night is observed on the same day. The summer solstice can be observed on one of three days - June 20, 21 or 22, it lasts 17 hours 33 minutes, after which the days begin to become shorter and the nights longer.

Solstice Traditions

Interestingly, different traditions are associated with both of these events. For example, in Russia, as well as in some other countries, a holiday called "Kalyada" was popular, dedicated to the shortest day of the year - it was traditionally timed to Christmas time and Christmas. It all started in her own home, where the eldest in the family baked bread, served kutia and porridge, pies, pretzels, animal figures from wheat dough. By the way, it was also customary for the latter to decorate the premises, to present them to neighbors and loved ones. Only the elders could talk at the table, while the younger ones could only listen and wait until they had the opportunity to get outside and start caroling - this is a ritual of visiting houses, in which a group of participants sing well-wishing songs addressed to the owners of the houses, for which they were supposed to have a tasty meal. treat.

As for the summer solstice, even more interesting things are known about it. So, historians claim that even the ancient Egyptians knew about the longest day of the year, who built their huge pyramids in such a way that the sun would set neatly between the two of them (they say that this phenomenon can be seen if you look at the pyramids from the side of the Sphinx) .

About Stonehenge and the longest day

It is also customary to associate the famous Stonehenge, a British structure located 130 kilometers from London, with the summer solstice. They say that it was built just the same with an eye on the longest day of the year - only then the sun rises over the Hillstone stone, which is located separately from the main circle of stones.

Be that as it may, in the modern world, the days of the solstices do not have the importance that our ancestors attached to them. However, modern pagans consider them holidays and invariably celebrate them.

Everyone knows that during the solstice, the height of the celestial body above the horizon is maximum or minimum exactly at noon, at this moment we have the maximum duration of the day or night. There are only two solstices a year, this is in winter and summer, when the shortest day and longest night are celebrated.

Since ancient times, people have revered the sun and watched it, with the winter solstice there are various beliefs to this day. For example, they judged the future harvest by it.

When will be the shortest day and longest night in 2019?

In the future 2019, from the twenty-first (21.12) to the twenty-second (22.12) of December, therefore, this day will be the shortest day, that is, the twenty-first of December (21.12) (the duration of which is one minute to seven hours).

What is the longest night?

On the longest night, darkness prevails and seems like a total gloom. The Slavs believed that this was the victory of darkness over light, but with the dawn, light won. It was at this time that various ceremonies and rituals were carried out since ancient times, since it is considered the most favorable for changing oneself for the better. Also, the British believed that on this night you need to joke and laugh a lot, because they believed that by voicing the problems, after the “Merry Night” they would definitely be solved.

How long is the longest night of the year?

Seventeen hours and one minute is the length of the longest night of the year (17 hours 1 minute).

Spring is coming

This year, the winter solstice falls on Thursday, December 21st. Traditionally, December 22 is considered the shortest day in the northern hemisphere, but in practice this astronomical event jumps around the calendar due to its mismatch with the duration of the solar year. At half past eight in the evening Moscow time, the Sun will reach its farthest position from the celestial equator towards the South Pole of the world. And gradually again will begin rapprochement with the Earth.

To be precise, the current winter solstice will occur at 19:28 Moscow time. This day at Moscow latitude was the shortest of the year: the luminary rose above the horizon by only 11 degrees. Beyond the Arctic Circle, a long twilight night sets in, and closer to the North Pole, even reflections in the sky in the daytime are not visible.

Despite the gloom of the astronomical picture, the peoples of the world have long celebrated the winter solstice as the day of the birth of a new cycle of life, the rebirth of the Sun. This is because from now on, the length of daylight hours will gradually increase, after winter comes spring and the long-awaited summer. In Russian folklore, there are signs dedicated to the shortest day of the year: if on this day there is frost on the trees, it means that the grain harvest will be rich.

By the way, it is curious: it is believed that the weather on New Year's Eve will be exactly the same as on the shortest day. In Moscow, apparently, severe frosts do not threaten lovers to walk around the festive city to the sound of chimes.

For the winter solstice, there are many tips on how to spend it correctly for the benefit of the future. So, it is believed that on this day success accompanies any undertakings - in work, study and even in personal life. It is also believed that on this day it is useful to engage in meditation and self-development.

There is a tradition to throw away old unnecessary things, which is a symbol of readiness for renewal and a new stage in life.

There is also such a belief: if on the day of the winter solstice you write down your sorrows on paper and burn it, saying: "All this is in the past" - then the problems will really be left behind.

The shortest day in 2018, as usual, will be the winter solstice. This day, or rather the phenomenon, always happens in December. The exact date and time of the winter solstice 2018 is now known.

The ancient Slavs called this day the Day of renewal and the birth of the Sun. Some peoples even celebrated the New Year on the winter solstice. Date of the winter solstice in 2018: December 21. During this period, the longest night and the shortest day.

The shortest day in 2018 is expected on Friday, December 21, 2018. In Russia, the shortest day is December 22 due to time differences. The longest night in 2018 is the night from 22 to 23 December. The winter solstice will occur at 22:23 UTC December 21 or 01:23 December 22 UTC.

The shortest day in the current year lasts only 7 hours and 20 seconds. The shortest December day in 2018 was 10 hours and 33 minutes shorter than the June solstice. The night from 22 to 23 December will last 17 hours.

On the day of the winter solstice, the daytime luminary occupies the lowest position above the horizon, while in the summer on the day of the summer solstice it is at its maximum. After the winter solstice, the day will slowly and gradually increase, and the night will decrease.

Despite the fact that the phenomenon of the solstice has an astronomical nature, people have identified some traditions over time that should be followed so that December 21 is successful. So, on this date it is customary to do the cleaning. In order to meet the period when the visible day will increase in duration, people throw out all unnecessary things from the house. The reason for this is the desire to let solar energy into your home, freeing up as much space as possible for it.

In addition, in order to restore material order in your home, you need to clear your thoughts of negativity. To do this, it is worth joining the lovers of meditation practices or reading a prayer, which will make it possible to express what is sore and let go of all grievances and fears.

All sorts of rituals of divination are very popular on the Day of the winter solstice. This is due to the fact that on this date there is a plentiful energy surge, which allows you to look into the future and find answers to many questions that concern a person. At the same time, you can make a wish that will surely come true, thanks to the large flows of solar energy on the planet.

Of course, it is worth congratulating your loved ones on the Winter Solstice Day on December 21, 2018. It is just as joyful a holiday as many others that are celebrated throughout the year. It is of great importance for people, and therefore is highlighted as a separate date in the calendar.

The weather that will accompany people on the date of December 21 will not last another 10 days. If a snowstorm comes on the Winter Solstice, then we should expect a snowy New Year.

You can find out about an excellent harvest in the coming year, look at the branches of trees on December 21. If they are covered with frost, then field workers should rejoice at the good news. In order for many berries to be born in the coming year, it is necessary to cut a branch from a cherry tree and put it in water. If it begins to reduce to the Christmas holiday, then it will be possible to reap the berry fruits. A large number of fruits can be portended by weather without wind and blizzards. In order to independently attract a rich harvest, it is worth going out into the garden and shaking the tree that gives fruit.

Spring is expected to be wet and rainy if it rains on the Winter Solstice.

The shortest day of the year is December 21 or 22 (depending on the shift in the calendar). It has a special name - "Winter Solstice Day". This is the day of the shortest daylight hours (only 5 hours 53 minutes) and the longest night. From the next day, as you know, it begins to gradually increase. In scientific terms, this is due to the fact that the tilt of the Earth's axis of rotation relative to the Sun takes on a maximum value.

In many cultures, this day has always been a significant event, always associated with rebirth. For example, in primitive culture, the beginning of the Solstice was not exactly a joyful day, it was more associated with the onset of hunger. Because primitive people did not really know how much stock they needed to prepare for times of cold weather. In the Early Middle Ages, this was a holiday, as beer and wine were mostly matured by mid-December.

Longest day of the year

The longest day of the year occurs on June 21 or 20. You have probably already noticed that it is light outside even at 23:00. True, then, as with the “winter”, daylight hours begin to slowly decrease, this becomes noticeable already in August.

In the modern world, the days of the winter and summer solstices are not a holiday, but a lot of traditions have survived to this day. For example, carols beloved by children were originally dedicated on December 20, only then they migrated to the post-Christmas weeks until Epiphany (January 19). In ancient Egypt, the priests attached great importance to the summer solstice. In Russia, the holiday is better known as Ivan Kupala Day, when the celebrants bathe, jump over bonfires, guess and look for fern branches (which, according to legend, bloom on this particular holiday).

It is difficult to observe the solstice due to the fact that the sun is slowly moving towards its point. Only very recently have scientists begun to determine the exact time of an event down to the instant.