WINTER SOLSTICE Winter is here with the coldest days yet to come!

A NEW SEASON IS HERE
stars and sky

The 2018 winter solstice arrived at 11:23 p.m. on Dec. 21, marking the official start of the astronomical winter and the shortest day of the year for the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, that day is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year.

During the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted at its farthest distance from the sun, bringing less light and colder temperatures. In our area, the coldest days are yet to come!

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But what causes the winter solstice? Our planet has an axial tilt with respect to its orbital plane around the sun, which results in the seasons.

In winter, the Earth’s tilt away from the sun causes sunlight to be spread out over a larger surface area than in summer. It also causes the sun to rise later and set earlier, giving us fewer hours of sunlight and colder temperatures.

In the meantime, enjoy your holiday weekend and celebrations to follow. The weather, while not exactly winter-like, still looks beautiful.

PHOTO: Pixabay

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