A WINTER'S TALE
What is the Winter Solstice 2019 and how long is the shortest day of the year?
THE winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of year, and occurs when the sun hits its lowest point in the sky in the northern hemisphere.
Here is everything you need to know about the annual celebration, which is finally upon us.
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When is the winter solstice 2019?
This year’s winter solstice, which is also known as midwinter, will occur on December 22 at 04.19am.
Sunset on December 22 will occur at 3.53pm and celebrations at Stonehenge will kick off the following morning when sun rises at 8.04am.
It is the shortest day of the year, having the least amount of daylight, and will generate the longest night.
Across Europe it is known as Yule, from the Norse word Jul (or juul), meaning wheel.
In the northern hemisphere it is when the North Pole is pointing away from the sun.
After the winter solstice the amount of daylight hours in the UK will increase.
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What is the winter solstice?
The winter solstice is when one of Earth's poles has its maximum tilt away from the sun.
It astronomically marks the beginning of longer days and shorter nights.
The word "solstice" comes from the Latin solstitium meaning "sun stands still" because the apparent movement of the sun's path north or south stops before changing direction.
How is winter solstice celebrated?
The day has been celebrated by various cultures around the world for thousands of years and is generally a recognition of rebirth.
Most notably it is associated with the druids who mark the start of the solar year with a celebration of light and the rebirth of the sun.
The Feast of Jul was observed in Scandinavian countries around the solstice.
The feast was seen as the last celebration before the winter began, making food scarce.
Fires would be lit to symbolise the heat and light of the returning sun and a Yule log was gathered and burnt in the hearth as a tribute to the Norse god Thor.
There are many songs and poems used to celebrate this special day.
Pagan homes are often decorated with supposedly sacred herbs and red, green and white colours.
Holly, ivy, evergreen boughs and pine cones are usually put around the home, especially in places where socialising takes place.
A sprig of mistletoe is put up above a threshold and is meant to be left there until the next Yule.
Pagans see it as a charm for good luck throughout the year but has now taken on a symbolic meaning for kissing beneath it and the opportunity for romance.
How long is the shortest day of 2019?
The shortest day of 2019 will start on December 22 at 4.19am in the UK.
The sun will set on December 22 at 3.53pm and will not rise again until 8.04am the next morning.
In Britain, the shortest day of the year will last seven hours, 49 minutes and 41 seconds.
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Why was the winter solstice so special last year
Last year's Winter Solstice is extra special as it coincides with a spectacular meteor shower and a full moon.
A full moon appeared in the early night sky this evening right before a peak showing of the Ursid meteor shower.
The annual shower occurs as debris from Comet 8P/Tuttle hits our atmosphere, sparking as many as five to ten shooting stars an hour.
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