December (Winter) 2024 Solstice
(21.12.2024)
-Rohit Kumar Parmar [1]
Solstice (अयनांत) is an astronomical event that occurs twice a year, once in June and the second time in December. During a solstice, the Sun reaches its highest/ furthest position in the sky as seen from the north or the south pole. The position from the other pole is the opposite, that is the lowest/ closest. On a solstice day, the Sun in the sky is the farthest north or south from the equator.
Solstices occur on June 20/ 21 and December 21/ 22nd every year. During the summer solstice in a hemisphere, the duration of the day is the longest in the year and during the winter solstice, duration of the day is shortest in the year.
In the past, because of ethnocentric thinking and so writing, solstices were referred to as winter and summer solstice, based on the position in the Northern hemisphere.
In a hemisphere (Northern or Southern), the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, and the summer solstice is the longest day of the year.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the June solstice signals summer. This is when the north pole is closest to the Sun, and the Sun’s rays are directly overhead viewed from the Tropic of Cancer.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the December solstice signals winter. This is when the south pole is closest to the Sun, and the Sun’s rays are directly overhead viewed from the Tropic of Capricorn.
In the southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed.
Equinoxes occur in March (20/ 21) and in September (22/ 23). These are days, when the Sun is exactly above the equator, which makes the duration of day and night equal.
According to Hindu astrology, the change/ shift away from winter, known as Uttarayana (उत्तरायण), is observed on Makar Sankranti day. In Sanskrit, उत्तरायण is a composite word, उत्तर meaning North, and अयन meaning movement.
On Uttarayan day, the Sun starts it’s northward ascent/ movement. This is different from solstice, which is the shortest/ longest day.
The dates of winter solstice and of Uttarayan are not the same. Uttarayan is celebrated on January 13/ 14, coinciding with Makar Sankranti.
The complement of Uttarayana is Dakshinayana (the southward descent/ movement of the Sun).
July 16, 2025 marks the transition of Sun into Karka Rashi (Cancer) and is called Karka Sankranti. Karka Sankranti marks the end of the six-month Uttarayana period as per the Hindu calendar, and the beginning of Dakshinayana, which ends on Makar Sankranti.
[1] Author, Freelance, Indian Economic Service, Senior Economic Adviser (Retired), Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and former Adviser (P 4) UNDP, Yemen has in posts
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