Top 6 Facts about the year’s final Solstice
As the year draws to a close, we approach a very special time of year, at least from an astronomical perspective. This Saturday, December 21st, will mark the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere (or the Summer Solstice in the Southern), or the date where the Earth’s axis is tilted its maximal amount away from (or towards) the Sun, as viewed from an observer in the Northern (or Southern) Hemisphere.
While it’s pretty common knowledge that the Earth’s revolution around the Sun in conjunction with its axial tilt is the reason for the seasons, the December solstice — one of the two days where the Earth’s tilt is maximally inclined with respect to the Sun — brings a number of special things along with it. (Please note that all latitude-dependent ones apply equally to the Southern Hemisphere on the June solstice!)
Here are my top six.
http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/2013/12/18/top-6-facts-about-the-years-final-solstice/