W I N T E R S O L S T I C E Today is Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s the astronomical moment when the Sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn and we have our shortest day and longest night of the year. The Tropic of Capricorn is a mapmaker’s line that parallels the equator at 23.5 degrees south latitude. After a brief pause at that line on the solstice, the sun appears to reverse direction and begins its journey northward. It’s right there in the name - the word solstice comes from the Latin words sol, meaning sun, and sistere, meaning to stop. It’s also when Earth’s tilt brings the North Pole farthest from the sun. No matter what the weather is doing outside your window, the solstice marks the official start of winter. (I’m currently in crisp but sunny Charlotte, North Carolina enroute home to family in Bermuda). People began marking the solstices thousands of years ago and the winter solstice has played an important role in cultures worldwide from those times until today. In fact, many of the customs, lore, symbols, and rituals associated with Christmas are actually associated with winter solstice celebrations of ancient (often Pagan) cultures. Whilst this day marks the official start of winter, it also means the dark days are retreating. The Sun’s gradual decrease in the sky reverses upon the winter solstice, marking what many cultures believe to be a “rebirth” of the Sun as the hours of daylight become longer. Here’s to that! There are brighter days ahead — literally. 📷: photo taken near my home in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire after freezing fog during the cold snap last week. #wintersolstice #midwinter #shortestday #longestnight