What date is the shortest day and longest night? The shortest day of the year is the time to change fate. What date is the longest night in December?

Surely each of you at least once wondered when the shortest and longest day of the year happens. 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 - solstice day.

Types of solstice

There are two types of solstices - 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 on either December 21 or 22 - the length of daylight hours is only 5 hours 53 minutes, after which it begins to increase. 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, there was a popular holiday called “Kalyada”, dedicated to the shortest day of the year - it was traditionally dedicated to Christmastide and Christmas. It all started in the family home, where the eldest in the family baked bread, served kutya and porridge, pies, pretzels, and animal figures made from wheat dough. By the way, it was also customary for the latter to decorate the premises and 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 go outside and start caroling - this is a ritual of visiting houses, in which a group of participants sings benevolent songs addressed to the owners of the houses, for which they were entitled to tasty food. treat.

As for the summer solstice, even more interesting things are known about it. Thus, 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 common to associate the famous Stonehenge, a British building located 130 kilometers from London, with the summer solstice. They say that it was built with an eye on the longest day of the year - only then the sun rises above 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.

From this article you will learn when the summer and winter solstices, as well as the autumn and spring equinoxes, occur.

The shortest and longest days throughout the year are called solstice days, which are summer and winter, and the time when days and nights are equal is equinoxes, spring and autumn. Let's find out more about these days.

When, in what month in winter, will daylight hours begin to profit and begin to grow?

Mid-latitude winter solstice in Russia

The shortest day in winter is winter solstice– we’ll be there on December 21 or 22. On one of these days, the shortest day of the year, in the northern hemisphere, in the middle latitudes, it lasts 5 hours and 53 minutes, then the day will increase and the night will decrease.

The closer to the Arctic Circle, the shorter the day. Beyond the Arctic Circle, the sun may not appear at all at this time.

Attention. According to the old style, the winter solstice coincided with Christmas. In the old days, this time was highly revered: they decorated their home festively, prepared kutia from wheat, and baked pies and gingerbreads from the flour of the new harvest. For the New Year and Christmas holidays, they fed spring and summer animals (pig, calf) in order to slaughter them for the Christmastide and prepare delicious meat dishes.

At the equator, day all year round is the same in length as night (12 hours).

As for the southern hemisphere, everything is different there: when we, in the northern latitudes, have the winter solstice, they have the summer solstice.

This is interesting. The winter solstice was first established by Julius Caesar. This happened in 45 BC. Then this day was December 25th.

When, on what date, does the shortest day and the longest night of the year occur, and how long does it last?

The longest day at mid-latitude in Russia and Ukraine

The longest day occurring in a year ( summer solstice) occurs on June 20, but may occur on June 21 or 22 (depending on the shift in the calendar due to leap year). For Moscow, the length of the day is 17 hours 33 minutes, and then the days begin to get shorter and the nights longer.

How can we explain the summer solstice? This is the day when the sun reaches its highest point above the horizon at noon. After this day the sun begins to go down and this continues until December 21st or 22nd.

In ancient times, the following beliefs were associated with this day:

• At this time, healers collected medicinal herbs, since the greatest beneficial properties of plants are manifested right now.
• On the night after the summer solstice, the girls cast a spell on their betrothed, and he would certainly show up.
• From this day on, it was possible to swim in reservoirs, but previously it was prohibited, since, according to legend, devils sat in the water. From this day they left for a short time, until the holiday of Elijah (August 2).

Note. According to the old style, the summer solstice coincided with Midsummer's day.

How much will daylight increase after December 22?

The shortest day in winter in central Russia

The shortest day is considered to be December 21 or 22, but in fact the next few days are the same length, and only on December 24-25 the day is added.

At first, the increase in day is imperceptible, since it increases by 1 minute, and then in the evening, and in the morning the sun rises even later, and then the increase in day is noticeable, and on March 20-22, the day becomes the same size as the night, about 12 hours.

Interesting. But on other planets of our Universe, the length of the day on some planets is similar to the Earth’s day, on others it is completely different. Length of day on other planets(in Earth hours):

• Jupiter – 9 o'clock
• Saturn - close to 10 o'clock
• Uranus - close to 13 o'clock
• Neptune - close to 15 o'clock
• Mars - 24 hours 39 minutes
• Mercury is close to 60 of our days
• Venus – our 243rd day

From what day do days become longer than nights?

Spring equinox in central Russia

After the day spring equinox, which occurs from March 20 to March 22 (differently each year, due to the leap days), the day becomes longer than the night.

The Slavs associate the holiday of the Forty Saints with the day of the spring equinox. On this day, birds (larks) were baked from butter dough, and they called out for spring, and with it, from distant lands, the first birds.

In many Asian countries (former Soviet republics in Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran), the day of the vernal equinox is the New Year.

In Russia (middle latitude), people usually start from the days of the equinox and solstice. Countdown And time of year:

• Spring – from the 20th of March to the 20th of June
• Summer – from the 20th of June to the 20th of September
• Autumn – from the 20th of September to the 20th of December
• Winter – from the 20th of December to the 20th of March

When is the longest day and shortest night of the year, and how many days are they?

The longest day of the year in central Russia

The longest day in 2017 occurred on June 21. For several days, the days were just as long (17 hours 33 minutes), and from June 24 the days began to decrease.

When, from what date in the summer, will daylight hours begin to decrease?

The day has been decreasing since June 24

If we take data for Moscow, then the longest day was 17 hours 33 minutes.

For Moscow, the days will decrease in the following sequence:

• By the end of June, the day decreased by 6 minutes, and became 17 hours 27 minutes
• For July - by 1 hour 24 minutes, day length 16 hours 3 minutes
• For August - by 2 hours 8 minutes, the day lasts 13 hours 51 minutes
• Until the equinox (September 24), the day will shorten by 1 hour 45 minutes, the length of the day will be 12 hours 2 minutes

When does the night become longer than the day?

Autumn equinox day occurs from September 21 to 23, when the day is the same length as the night, about 12 hours. After this day, the night begins to increase and the day decreases.

After the equinox, the length of the day decreases even more:

• At the end of September the day lasts 11 hours 35 minutes
• During October, the day will decrease by 2 hours 14 minutes, and at the end of the month it will be 9 hours 16 minutes
• During November, the day decreases less intensively, by 1 hour 44 minutes, the length of the day is 7 hours 28 minutes
• Until the winter solstice (December 21), the day will decrease by 28 minutes, the length of the day will be 7 hours, and the night will be 17 hours.

It is noteworthy that on days equal in length to the nights (autumn and spring equinoxes), the sun rises exactly in the east and sets exactly in the west.

So, we found out when the longest and shortest days of the year are.

Video: Days of solstices and equinoxes

The calendar we are used to says that the year begins on the first of January and is divided into 12 months. But nature has its own laws, which, unfortunately, are poorly coordinated with astronomy. However, our ancestors knew and respected the laws of nature. The winter solstice was considered the most important holiday in the annual cycle - when will it be in 2019 and what practices are recommended for everyone? Read the details in this article.

What happens on this day?

First of all, let's figure out what the winter solstice is. On this day we can observe the longest night and the shortest daylight of the year. Magical time, isn't it? Our ancestors had no doubt about this.

Holiday dates:

• December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere (these are all countries above the equator);
• June 20 or 21 – in the Southern Hemisphere (Australia, most Latin American countries, etc.).

The exact date depends on the year, it's all about the calendar shift due to leap years.

In 2020, the winter solstice will occur on December 21 at 13:02 Moscow time. If you live in another region, you can calculate the time yourself, knowing Moscow time.

On this day the Sun reaches its lowest position. Then, at the end of December and January, it rises higher above the horizon, making daylight longer.

In astrology, on this day the Sun moves from the zodiac sign Sagittarius to the sign Capricorn, and astrological winter begins (the period of the signs Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces).

Since Capricorn is associated with planning, at this time it is advisable to think through and write down goals for the coming year. Think about what is truly important to you and what you want to get rid of.

Our ancestors viewed the solstice as a time of rebirth, the emergence of hope and the joyful beginning of the path to solar abundance.

Some call the holiday the winter equinox. However, this is not true. The equinox occurs in spring and autumn, in March and September, when day is equal to night. And in winter and summer there are solstices.

Table of winter solstices until 2025

Year	Date and time in Moscow
2020	21 December 13:02
2021	December 21 18:59
2022	December 22 00:48
2023	December 22 06:27
2024	December 21 12:20
2025	December 21 18:03

What is so special about the solstices and equinoxes? See more about the astronomical meaning of this amazing phenomenon in the video:

Rituals and rituals

Many rituals are recommended to be performed on the day of the solstice. The fact is that this is the shortest and most mysterious day of the year. When a colossal amount of energy is generated in nature, but it does not manifest itself clearly, but is hidden in the dark corners of the longest night.

Before carrying out any rituals (several days before the holiday), it is necessary to carry out a thorough cleaning of the entire apartment or house:

1. Wash everything, even the most secluded corners.
2. Put things in order, put things in their places.
3. Clear out your closet and decide what you need and what you don't.
4. Collect unnecessary items and distribute them to those in need.

Thanks to such actions, you will clear space in your life for something new and joyful.

Ritual of letting go

• Write down on paper everything negative and bad that happened during the year - what you want to get rid of or forget.
• Say the appropriate words that you must choose for yourself. For example: “I forgive and let go of everything that happened” or “I leave these events in the past, let them go away and never return.”
• Now burn a piece of paper, imagining how your sorrows are burned in the fire. And problems disappear with the smoke.
• Feel liberated.

Ritual to fulfill a wish

A wish is made at dawn:

• Stand facing east - look in the direction where the reborn Sun rises.
• Thank the Sun for all the good things in your life and ask for help in the coming season.
• Make a wish - try to mention as many details as possible.
• Imagine that your wish has already come true. What do you feel? Let your imagination paint happy pictures.

On this holiday, it’s good to make wishes that involve renewing your life and attracting something new. It is also recommended to drink ginger tea throughout the day.

If your desire involves saving money, then the ideal option would be to open a bank savings account on the day of the solstice or the next day. By doing this, you will not only conceive what you want, but also take the first step towards realization. Which is very important.

Ritual for cleansing

Carried out in the bathroom:

• Fill the bathtub with warm water.
• Be sure to add sea salt, because it takes away all the negativity. But it’s better to avoid foam on this day.
• Place several candles in the bathroom (an odd number), turning off the electric lights.
• Prepare some pleasant music for relaxation. These can be sounds of nature, religious chants, ethnic music, and so on.
• Lie down in the bath. Imagine that your body is heavy, filled with the worries of the passing year.
• Now visualize that water and salt are taking away all your problems. And every moment your body becomes lighter.
• Drain the water, imagining that everything bad goes away with it. Rinse off in the shower.

After performing the ritual, you will feel a true renewal at the level of body and soul.

Winter solstice holiday among different nations

Our distant ancestors relied on natural phenomena and the movement of the Sun when calculating time periods. The winter solstice point was significant for the construction of such historical structures as:

• Stonehenge in the UK;
• Newgrange in Ireland.

Their main axes are oriented along the sunrise and sunset on the solstices.

Ancient Roman Saturnalia

In ancient Rome, on the solstice days, the festival of Saturnalia was celebrated in honor of the god Saturn. The celebration lasted from December 17 to 23. By this time all agricultural work was completed. And people could indulge in celebration and fun.

It was customary to temporarily stop public affairs and send schoolchildren on vacation. It was even forbidden to punish criminals.

Slaves sat at the same table with their masters and were freed from daily labor. There was a symbolic equalization of rights.

Crowds of celebrating people walked in the streets. Everyone praised Saturn. On the days of Saturnalia, a pig was slaughtered as a sacrifice, and then they began to have fun. A tradition of exchanging gifts arose, which later moved on to modern Christmas and New Year.

Yule among the ancient Germans

This is a medieval holiday, one of the main ones of the year. It was celebrated on a grand scale. The word “Yule” was used to describe the longest night of the year, which fell on the winter solstice.

It was believed that on this day the Oak King was reborn, he warmed the frozen ground and gave life to seeds in the soil, which were stored during the long winter, so that by spring they would germinate and give a harvest.

People lit fires in the fields. It was customary to drink the alcoholic drink cider. Children went from house to house with gifts. Baskets were woven from branches of evergreens and ears of wheat, and apples and cloves were placed in them, which were sprinkled with flour.

Apples are a symbol of the sun and immortality, and wheat is a symbol of a good harvest. Flour meant light and success.

Houses were also decorated with tree branches: ivy, holly, mistletoe. It was believed that this helped to invite the spirits of nature to join the celebration. Spirits could give a happy life to household members.

On the Yule holiday, a ritual log was burned, the Yule tree was decorated (a prototype of the New Year's tree) and gifts were exchanged. The image of the log has been preserved in many countries to this day.

Holiday in Christianity

In Christianity, these days celebrate the Nativity of Christ. In the Catholic tradition, it occurs on December 24, when the Sun, after passing its lowest point, is again “reborn” and rises higher.

It is believed that when Christianity replaced paganism, new Christian holidays merged with pagan ones. This is how Christmas appeared in its modern form with a decorated Christmas tree and gifts for loved ones and friends. After all, in fact, this is the celebration of the birth of Christ, but it is celebrated very similar to the medieval Yule.

In Orthodoxy, due to the use of the Julian calendar, the date is 2 weeks behind the solstice; Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. However, historically it is the same date. It’s just that over the course of two thousand years the solstice point has shifted by half a month.

Holiday in Slavic culture

The Slavs celebrated the day of Karachun - the harsh deity of winter. They believed that Karachun brings winter cold to the earth, plunging nature into winter sleep.

Another name for the deity is Korochun, which means “the shortest.” The winter solstice precedes the rebirth of the Sun.

Bonfires were burned everywhere, which were designed to help the Sun gain victory over death and be reborn. After Karachun, the nights waned and the daylight hours became longer.

Subsequently, this deity turned into Frost - a gray-haired old man, from whose breath bitter frosts begin and rivers become covered with ice. The Slavs believed that if Frost hit the hut with his staff, the logs would crack.

Frost does not like those who are afraid of it and hide, complain about the cold and quickly get cold. But to those who are not afraid of him, he bestows rosy cheeks, fortitude and good mood. This is reflected in the fairy tale “Morozko”.

Video

Solstice is one of two days a year when the height of the sun above the horizon at noon is minimum or maximum. There are two solstices in the year - winter and summer. On the day of the winter solstice, the sun rises to its lowest height above the horizon.

In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22, when the shortest day and longest night occur. The moment of the solstice shifts every year, since the length of the solar year does not coincide with calendar time.

In 2017, the shortest day (winter solstice) will be December 21st. However, this date almost never changes. The only exception is a leap year, then the winter solstice moves to December 22. Since 2017 is not a leap year, this shift will not occur. This means that the date of the winter solstice 2017 is December 21st.

For thousands of years, the winter solstice has been of great importance for all the peoples of our planet, who lived in harmony with natural cycles and organized their lives in accordance with them. Since ancient times, people have revered the Sun, understanding that their life on earth depends on its light and warmth. For them, the winter solstice symbolized the victory of light over darkness.

Thus, in Russian folklore a proverb is dedicated to this day: the sun is for summer, winter is for frost. Now the day will gradually increase, and the night will decrease. The winter solstice was used to judge the future harvest. In the old days, on this day they noticed: frost on the trees meant a rich grain harvest.

In the 16th century in Rus', an interesting ritual was associated with the winter solstice. The bell ringer of the Moscow Cathedral, who was responsible for striking the clock, came to bow to the Tsar. He reported that from now on the sun has turned to summer, the day is increasing, and the night is shortening. For this good news, the king rewarded the headman with money.

The ancient Slavs celebrated the pagan New Year on the day of the winter solstice; it was associated with the deity Kolyada. The main attribute of the festival was a bonfire, depicting and invoking the light of the sun, which, after the longest night of the year, was supposed to rise higher and higher. The ritual New Year's pie - loaf - was also shaped like the sun.

In Europe, these days began a 12-day cycle of pagan festivals dedicated to the winter solstice, which marked the beginning of a new life and renewal of nature.

On the day of the winter solstice in Scotland there was a custom to launch the sun wheel - “solstice”. The barrel was coated with burning resin and sent down the street. The wheel is a symbol of the sun, the spokes of the wheel resembled rays, the rotation of the spokes during movement made the wheel alive and similar to a luminary.

The winter solstice was determined earlier than all other seasons in China (there are 24 seasons in the Chinese calendar). In ancient China it was believed that from this time the male force of nature rises and a new cycle begins. The winter solstice was considered a happy day worthy of celebration. On this day, everyone - from the emperor to the commoner - went on vacation. The army was put into a state of waiting for orders, border fortresses and trading shops were closed, people visited each other and gave gifts. The Chinese made sacrifices to the God of Heaven and their ancestors, and also ate porridge of beans and glutinous rice to protect themselves from evil spirits and diseases. To this day, the winter solstice is considered one of the traditional Chinese holidays.

In India, the day of the winter solstice - Sankranti - is celebrated in Hindu and Sikh communities, where on the night before the celebration bonfires are lit, the heat of which symbolizes the warmth of the sun, which begins to warm the earth after the winter cold.

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 the length of day or night is maximum for us. There are only two solstices in the year, in winter and summer, when the shortest day and the longest night are celebrated.

Since ancient times, people have revered the sun and observed it; various beliefs exist with the winter solstice to this day. For example, they used it to judge the future harvest.

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

In the future 2019, from the twenty-first (12/21) to the twenty-second (12/22) of December, therefore, on this day there will be the shortest day, that is, the twenty-first of December (12/21) (the duration of which is one minute to seven hours).

What is the longest night?

On the longest night, darkness prevails and seems like pitch darkness. The Slavs believed that this was a victory of darkness over light, but with 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 problems, they would definitely be solved after the “Merry Night”.

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 and 1 minute).