Today, people across the entire planet celebrate another quarter revolution around the sun. Our spinning planet’s tilted axis is pointed directly away* from the sun again. My fellow seasonally depressed inhabitants of the northern hemisphere and I rejoice in the end of the three-month shortening of days and the beginning of the three-month lengthening. It’s also the end of the daily march of the sunrise and sunsets south along the horizon. Tomorrow, it rises slightly closer to true East sets slightly closer to true West.
Besides the sun only being ‘up’ for around 9.5 hours here in St. Louis and all the other cities at a latitude of 45° N, and only rising to maximum of 22.5° above the southern horizon at noon, it is also the day of least solar irradiance per unit area. A crappy day for photovoltaics and photoautotrophs alike, even if it’s not cloudy. Since most plants on the planet live in the northern hemisphere, graphs of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere show that the planet is cumulatively exhaling carbon dioxide during the northern winter.
Meanwhile, assuming he hasn’t left his workshop at the North Pole yet, Santa Claus is celebrating midnight of a six month-long night. Residents of Sao Paulo, Brazil, not just in the southern hemisphere but lying on the Tropic of Capricorn, celebrate the one day of the year on which the sun is directly overhead at high noon. In frozen Antarctica, you can sunbathe for 24 hours. In Quito, Ecuador, it’s just another 12 hour day.
Happy Solstice.
*meaning exactly perpendicular to the Earth’s orbital path while still 23.5 degrees from perpendicular to the orbital plane as always.
I notice, I wonder 
Mark, Chris sent me your website. I love that you commented on the Winter Solstice and the hope that comes with seconds and minutes of daylight added to our life. Slow but sure we see the progress. In KC, the sun rises at 7:37 from Dec. 29th to Jan. 11…….almost 2 weeks! But we are adding daylight at the sunsets. At present, a minute a day.
My mother died at the age of 89 on the Summer Solstice, June 21, 2001. I think of the symbolism of a wonderful full life ending on the day that gives us the most sunshine of the year. She filled many lives with her sunshine.
Wishing you wonderful blessings in 2018. Hope to see you when you come for a visit to the Wolf Pack on Rosewood.
Mary
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I remind myself that the days are getting longer, too! Every day, a little more sunshine. This is so interesting and made for good, thoughtful conversation about knowing more about what is happening all around you with my family and friends.
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