Winter solstice to take place on 22 December at 6:19 in 2019

Chisinau, 21 December /MOLDPRES/ - The 2019 winter solstice will take place on 22 December morning at 6:19. The moment will mark the beginning of the astronomic winter and is connected to the annual apparent movement of the Sun on the sky, which actually represents the consequence of the real movement of the Earth around the Sun.   

During the winter solstice, the Earth’s Northern Hemisphere is in the farthermost point from the Sun. On the other hand, in the Southern Hemisphere, 22 December marks the summer solstice or the day when the southern part of the Earth is in the nearest point to the Sun.     

The winter solstice marks the beginning of the astronomic winter, as well as the beginning of the coldest three months of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. After the solstice, the days start getting longer. At the moment of the solstice on 22 December, the Sun rises by 23° 27' to the south from the cardinal east point and climbs at only 21° against the horizon at noon. Thus, on this date, the duration of the day has the minimal value of the year, 8 hours and 50 minutes, while the night has a maximal duration of 14 hours and 10 minutes, according to the Admiral Vasile Urseanu Astronomic Observatory from Romania. Starting from 22 December, the day will begin getting longer and will be equal to the night at the Spring Equinox, due on 20 March 2020.        

In the culture of pagans, the winter solstice means the appearance of the Sun and symbolizes a new process of the four seasons. The Romans used to glorify Saturn, the god of harvests, along with Mithras, known as the god of light. The winter solstice was celebrated by the ancient Dacians by slaughtering the pig – a customs which has preserved till nowadays and is now connected to the Christmas holiday. By this ritual, the Dacians took the side of the light in the fight against the darkness, on the shortest day of the year.