Interesting facts about the shortest day and longest night of the year

Interesting facts about the shortest day and longest night of the year

The shortest day and the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere occur today. Is today the shortest day and the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere? The shortest day of the year is called the Winter Solstice. In the past six months, from June 22, there was a decrease in the duration of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere, but now the situation will reverse, meaning the duration of daylight will gradually increase.

The Winter Solstice is considered the first day of winter, and it is the shortest day of the year, occurring on December 21 in some countries and December 22 in others, including Pakistan. The event is associated with the beginning of the winter season.

Behind the Science of the Winter Solstice:

This event happens when the Sun is at its southernmost point, passing through the Tropic of Capricorn.In the Southern Hemisphere, the situation is reversed, and December 21 or 22 will be the longest day of the year.Countries in this region include Argentina, New Zealand, and South Africa, where only about 10% of the world's population resides.In the Northern Hemisphere, the shortest day of the year occurs between December 20 and 24, but December 21 or 22 are more common historical dates.

To find out which country experiences the shortest day on December 21 or 22, various websites such as Time and Date can be consulted.

Where is the Shortest Day Actually Experienced?

At this time, in the North Pole, the sunlight dramatically decreases, and almost 24 hours of darkness prevail.In contrast, 85 miles north of the equator in Singapore, residents do not feel a significant difference because there is only a 9-minute reduction in sunlight during December compared to June.This means there is approximately a 12-hour day throughout the year.

In Paris, there is an 8 hours and 14 minutes long day, and a roughly 16-hour long night.In the city of Oslo, Norway, the sun rises at 9 AM and sets at 3 PM, which is less than 6 hours of daylight.

In Nome, Alaska, the sunlight is visible for only 3 hours and 54 minutes, followed by a 20-hour long night.

In comparison, Islamabad experiences sunrise at 7 AM and sunset at 5 PM, resulting in a day lasting 9 hours and 55 minutes.

Lahore has a duration of 10 hours and 1 minute, while Karachi experiences a day lasting 10 hours and 35 minutes during this period.

Why Does This Happen?

As the Earth revolves around the Sun, the Winter Solstice occurs when the Sun tilts toward the Southern Hemisphere and away from the Northern Hemisphere. This marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

This tilt causes a reduction in the duration of daylight, which reverses during the summer season.

In the Northern Hemisphere's latitudes, the time of sunrise will remain the same for the next three days, but the time of sunset will change.