In the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs once each year in the month of June. The winter solstice occurs once a year in December. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is the opposite with the summer solstice occurring in December and the winter solstice occurring in June.
The solstice marks a position in the sky for the Sun. There are two a year and they indicate the furthest points of the tilt of the Earth in relationship to the Sun. In the Summer it is the closest and Winter is the farthest.
There are two solstices each year, one in June and one in December. For the June one, in the northern hemisphere it is the summer solstice and in the southern hemisphere it is the winter solstice. For the December one, in the northern hemisphere it is the winter solstice and in the southern hemisphere it is the summer solstice.
Technically, the solstices are considered to be the beginning of Summer and Winter.
The solstices occur within about a day either way of June 21 and December 22.
Which one starts Summer and which one starts Winter depends on whether you're
observing the seasons in the Earth's northern or southern Hemisphere.
They are:
December 21st and June 21st
The solstices take place at different times each year. The next one in the northern hemisphere is December 21, 2012 at 11:12 AM.
The time between sunrise and sunset is a little longer each day from the December solstice to the June solstice in the northern hemisphere and from the June solstice to the December solstice in the southern hemisphere.
Assuming the observer is in the North, then the southern hemisphere would be tilted towards the sun during the Winter Solstice in December. However, for observers in the Southern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice would occur in June, and the northern hemisphere would be tilted towards the sun.
The winter solstice for the southern hemisphere happens around the 21st of June.
The winter solstace occurs between December 20 & the 23rd. It represents the sun's southern-most position (or perpendicular) relative to the earth, and is at a latitude of approximately 23-1/2' south of the equator.
It is called the solstice. In the northern hemisphere it is the summer solstice on June 20th or 21st. In the southern hemisphere it is the winter solstice on December 21st or 22nd. The shortest day of the year occur on the same dates in the opposite hemispheres.
It is the Winter Solstice
The time between sunrise and sunset is a little longer each day from the December solstice to the June solstice in the northern hemisphere and from the June solstice to the December solstice in the southern hemisphere.
Assuming the observer is in the North, then the southern hemisphere would be tilted towards the sun during the Winter Solstice in December. However, for observers in the Southern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice would occur in June, and the northern hemisphere would be tilted towards the sun.
In the southern hemisphere, the winter solstice can occur as early as June 19 to as late as June 23. In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice can be as early as December 20 to as late as December 23.
In the Northern Hemisphere the summer solstice will usually happen between June 20 and June 22. For the Southern Hemisphere it will occur between December 20 and December 23.
In all parts of the world, in December and July occur soltices and in march and September, equinoxes.
The solstices occur when the Sun reaches its maximum angular distance above or below the sky's "celestial equator". At local noon, at the solstice, the Sun is at its highest in the sky (summer solstice) or lowest (winter solstice) for the year. The solstices occur around the 21st of June and 21st of December. The summer solstice is in June in the northern hemisphere and in December in the southern hemisphere. At the summer solstice, the Sun is overhead at local noon on the tropic of Cancer (northern hemisphere) and the tropic of Capricorn (southern hemisphere).
The winter solstice for the southern hemisphere happens around the 21st of June.
The summer solstice occurs in the northern hemisphere when the sun is at the most acute angle above the horizon. It usually occurs on or about June 21.
December 22, 2012 is when it is this year
The winter solstace occurs between December 20 & the 23rd. It represents the sun's southern-most position (or perpendicular) relative to the earth, and is at a latitude of approximately 23-1/2' south of the equator.
December 21st, at the very same moment as the winter solstice in the north.