solstice
SOAL-stiss
/ˈsɒl.stɪs/
Either of the two times in the year when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, resulting in the longest and shortest days of the year.
Marks the astronomical turning points of summer and winter, occurring around June 21 and December 21.
The story behind the word. To ancient Roman astronomers observing the sun's path across the horizon, the sun appeared to travel further north each day in summer until it reached a stopping point where its noon elevation paused before reversing direction. They named this point 'solstitium'—literally 'sun stands still'.
Commonly confused with
- equinox: Solstice marks extreme imbalance in day/night length, whereas equinox marks exact equality of day and night.
Word family
- solstitial (adjective): Pertaining to or occurring at a solstice.
Collocations
- summer solstice
- winter solstice
- solstice celebration
- solstice alignment
Example sentences
- "Crowds gathered at Stonehenge to celebrate the summer solstice as the sun rose directly over the Heel Stone." Cultural history
- "The winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere marks the moment of maximum axial tilt away from the sun." Astronomy
Memory hook
SOLstice = SOL (sun) STAYS (stands still) at its furthest position. SOLSTICE = Sun Stands still at longest/shortest day.
When not to use
Do not confuse with equinox, when day and night are of equal duration.
Fun facts
- At the Arctic Circle during the summer solstice, the sun does not set at all, creating the famous 'midnight sun'.
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