Winter Solstice is Here

December 21, 2017 by Mary Hosier

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. What are some ways these short days affect the world around you?

Sunset in Toledo, Spain by Nic McPhee, CC-BY-SA2.0

What to Report

How to Report your Day Length

Step 1: Look up your sunrise/sunset for December 21.

Step 2: Calculate the length of time between sunrise and sunset. 

Step 3: Report your day length for December 21.

Step 4: Explore daylight map.

Report on the 20th of every month, and on each equinox and solstice. Track changes in daylight over the course of the year on the map. Explore how day length changes in your part of the world as the Earth revolves around the Sun. Share and compare monthly observations of the seasons with people around the globe.