Today, we commemorate St. Lucy's Day, which falls on December 13. This date is often linked with the shortest day of the year, as per widespread belief. But how accurate is this association? The answer is a mixed bag - it's both yes and no! It's a puzzle that involves calendars, transitions, and solstices, intricately tied to the Earth's axis and its relative positioning in the southern or northern hemispheres.
Contrary to popular belief, the shortest day of the year is not December 13 but the winter solstice, which occurs on December 22 this year. However, this common adage isn't entirely false. Before the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar, the winter solstice did indeed coincide with December 13. Even in our current times, the Sun sets earlier on December 13 than on December 21, the actual day of the solstice.
The duration of a day is determined by how long the Sun stays above the horizon. For instance, in Siena today, the day spans 9 hours and 1 minute, with the Sun rising at 7:38 a.m. and setting at 4:39 p.m. During the winter solstice, which falls on December 21-22, the day is 8 hours and 58 minutes long, with the sunrise at 7:44 a.m. and the sunset at 4:42 p.m. So, by a small margin of 3 minutes, the day of the winter solstice remains the shortest day of the year.
This dance between the Earth and Sun, influenced by our calendars and cosmic position, paints a fascinating picture of our world. We hope this journey, brought to you by the team at freeastroscience.com, sheds light on the scientific truths behind popular beliefs.
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