The Winter Solstice

December 21st is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. This morning, we could see the sun at 6:54 a.m.. The sun dipped below the horizon at 4:47 p.m.. So we could only see the sun for about 10 hours today. On June 21st, 2009, we could see the sun for about 14 hours. Why does this happen?

We are on the Earth. Our planet goes on a loooooong nearly circular journey around the Sun. Would you believe every year you go on a 584 MILLION MILE TRIP around the Sun?!! Yowzah! While the Earth goes around the Sun, it is not straight up and down. It is "tilted." In the winter, Orange County is tilted AWAY from the Sun. That's why we only see the sun for 10 hours in the winter. In the summer, we are tilted TOWARDS the Sun. So we see the Sun longer in the summer.

Tomorrow, at 12:00 noon, have someone measure the length of your shadow. Right it down on a piece of paper, and put it in a dresser drawer. Then mark on your calendar to do the same thing on June 21st of 2010. That will be right after school gets out in June. Once again, have someone measure your shadow at 12:00 noon. You will see that winter shadows are much longer than summer shadows. That is because the Sun appears to be lower in the sky in the winter. Actually, it is always in the same place. But, because we are tilted towards or away from the Sun, the Sun seems to be higher or lower in the sky. Also, you can stand outside the front door of your home. Watch where the Sun sets tomorrow. Write down that it set over your neighbor's home, or over a tree, or over a building. Then, on June 21st of 2010, do the same thing. You will see that, in the summer, the sun sets way to the right of where it sets in the winter. Cool!

Here is a beautiful poem about winter. It is by a poet named Robert Frost. He wrote this while he lived in Vermont a long time ago. Vermont gets very cold and it snows there. People were still using horses for transportation. Robert Frost mentions, "the darkest evening of the year." Close your eyes, and have someone read the poem to you so you can imagine being in that place that Mr. Frost describes. Do you think he is talking about the winter solstice, or something else?

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.