The shortest night of the year: how long does it last, customs, holidays

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:53

When are the shortest and longest nights of the year? The answer to this question is simple and has been known to many for a long time.

The longest daylight hours (it is also accompanied by the shortest night of the year) and the shortest have their own scientific name and are denoted by the term "solstice".

It has long been of no small importance in the annual cycle of time. Due to the fact that astronomical phenomena have always controlled the way of life of people, many peoples in their own cultures have developed traditional customs, rituals and holidays associated with such days.

In modern life, the duration of the solstice (summer and winter) can be calculated with an accuracy of one minute for several years ahead.

When is the shortest night of the year? You can learn about the traditions, rituals associated with such specific astrological phenomena (solstice and the shortest night), as well as the dates themselves, from thisarticles.

Types of solstices, traditions

During the solstices on planet Earth, the longest and shortest daylight hours are observed.

In winter, the northern hemisphere solstice occurs on December 21 or 22. The length of a day of light in this case is 5 hours 53 minutes. And, of course, the longest night falls on the same date. Then the length of the day begins to grow.

On one of the three days, from June 20 to June 22, the summer solstice is observed (then the shortest night of the year comes), lasting 17 hours 33 minutes. After that, there is a gradual shortening of the daylight hours and lengthening of the night period.

Various interesting traditions are associated with the above natural events. In former times, the Kolyada holiday was popular in Russia and in some of the neighboring countries. It was dedicated to the shortest day and was timed to Christmas time and Christmas.

According to historians, even the ancient Egyptians who built giant pyramids once knew about the longest day. This is evidenced by the fact that the highest of them are located in such a way that the sun set on this day exactly between them (this phenomenon becomes visible if you look at these buildings from the side of the Sphinx).

What happens during the longest and shortest days of the year?

All people notice that with the advent of spring, the sun is higher and higher above the horizon at noon and every day it leaves the sky later in the evening. At the beginning of summer, it reaches its highest point - this is the summersolstice.

The date of this phenomenon depends on the hemisphere of the Earth and the year (whether it is a leap year or not).

June 20 is the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, if the year is a leap year, and June 21 - if the year has 365 days. In the Southern Hemisphere, the longest day in a leap year is December 22, and December 21 in a normal year.

And what date is the shortest night? The answer is simple. It comes after the solstice.

Ivan Kupala Day

According to ancient Slavic beliefs, this time is magical: the strength of all useful plants increases many times over, the betrothed girls are shown in dreams and visions.

Before this time, swimming was forbidden. It was believed that devils were sitting in the waters. And during the summer standing, they left the water until the very beginning of August.

But the time came when these pagan traditions were supplanted by Christian ones, and this ancient holiday received a different name - the day of John the Baptist. But since John baptized by dipping into the water, he began to be called the day of Ivan Kupala (this is the shortest night in summer). This holiday has taken root well and has reached the present day.

The night of Ivan Kupala among the Slavs is considered magical, magical. On this night, people tell fortunes, jump over the fire (purification by fire takes place), and collect healing herbs. Bathing is considered an important attribute on this day.

So how long is the shortest night of the year? 6 hours 26 minutes.

The old waycalendar, the summer solstice and the famous day of Ivan Kupala coincided, but now (according to the new style) this holiday has moved to July 7.

Winter Solstice, celebration

The day gradually begins to decrease after the summer solstice. Slowly the Sun reaches its lowest point of rise.

The shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere comes on December 21 or 22 (depending on the year), and in the southern hemisphere, respectively, on June 20 or 21. And again, after the longest night, the countdown begins.

Even in ancient times, the winter solstice was celebrated. Before the long winter, people slaughtered all the cattle and held a feast. Then this day received the following meaning - the awakening of life.

This holiday - the largest and most famous among the Germanic peoples - the medieval Yule. On the night, after which the light gradually rises higher and higher, they burned fires in the fields, consecrated plants (trees) and crops, brewed cider.

And the shortest night of the year, respectively, comes six months after these events.

In today's world, these significant dates do not have as much meaning as our ancestors used to. However, modern pagans continue to consider them holidays and certainly celebrate them, as was customary in the old days.