Of course the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice is the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. |
Instead of a January to December calendar year, the Almanac relied on a tropical year defined as running from one winter solstice to the next. |
The winter solstice is the day the earth's tilt gives the southern hemisphere the least sunlight, making it the shortest day of the year. |
Put all this together, and you have what astronomers call the equation of time, which produces a similar effect around the winter solstice. |
The Greeks celebrated the New Year on December 21 at the winter solstice, when the day was at its shortest. |
Other peoples in northern Europe also observed mid-winter harvest festivals, usually around the winter solstice. |