The shortest night of the year: how long it lasts, customs, holidays

When are the shortest and longest nights of the year? The answer to this question is simple and many are known from ancient times.

The longest light day (it is still accompanied by the shortest night of the year) and the shortest one have their scientific name and are designated by the term "solstice".

It has long been of great importance in the annual cycle of time. Due to the fact that astronomical phenomena always governed the way of life of people, many peoples in their own cultures had traditional customs, rites and holidays associated with such days.

In modern life, the duration of the solstice (summer and winter) can be calculated to within one minute for several years in advance.

When is the shortest night of the year? About the traditions, rituals associated with such specific astrological phenomena (solstice and the shortest night), as well as about the dates themselves, you can learn from this article.

Types of solstice, traditions

During the solstices on the planet Earth, the longest and shortest light days are observed.

In the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere is on December 21 or 22. The length of the day of light is 5 hours 53 minutes. And, of course, the longest night falls on the same date. Then the duration of the day begins to grow.

On one of three days, from June 20 to 22, there is a summer solstice (then the shortest night in the year comes), lasting for 17 hours 33 minutes. After this, there is a gradual shortening of the light time of the day and an extension of the night period.

Various curious traditions are associated with the above-mentioned natural events. In former times, in Russia and in some of the near abroad countries, the Kolyada holiday was popular. He was dedicated to the shortest day and was timed to Christmas and Christmas.

The longest day, historians say, was once known even by the ancient Egyptians, who built giant pyramids. This is evidenced by the fact that the highest of them are located so that the sun was sitting on this day between them (this phenomenon becomes visible if you look at these structures from the side of the Sphinx).

What happens during the longest and shortest days of the year?

All the people notice that with the coming of spring the sun is higher and higher above the horizon at noon and every day it all leaves the sky in the evening. In early summer it reaches its highest point - this is the summer solstice.

The date of this phenomenon depends on the hemisphere of the Earth and the year (whether it is a leap year or not).

June 20 is the summer solstice in the Northern Earth's hemisphere, if the year is a leap year, and June 21 - if the year is 365 days. In the Southern hemisphere, the longest day in a leap year is December 22, and December 21 - in the usual year.

And what is the shortest night? The answer is simple. It comes after the day of the solstice.

The Day of Ivan Kupala

According to ancient Slavic beliefs, this time is magical: the forces of all useful plants multiply, are shown in dreams and visions, narrowed to girls.

Before this time, it was forbidden to swim. It was believed that the waters are sitting devils. And during the summer standing they left the water until the beginning of August.

But the time came when these pagan traditions were superseded by the Christian, and this ancient holiday was given a different name - the day of John the Baptist. But since John baptized by dipping into the water, he began to be called the day of Ivan Kupala (this is the shortest night in the summer). This holiday is well established and has reached the present day.

The night of Ivan Kupala among the Slavs is considered magical, magical. On this night people guess, jump through the fire (there is a purification by fire), collect medicinal herbs. An important attribute on this day is mass bathing.

So, how long is the shortest night of the year? 6 hours 26 minutes.

According to the old calendar, the day of the solstice of the summer and the famous day of Ivan Kupala coincided, but now (according to a new style) this holiday moved to July 7.

Solstice winter, celebration

The day gradually begins to wane after the summer solstice. Slowly the Sun reaches the lowest point of ascent.

The shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere comes on December 21 or 22 (depending on the year), and in the South, respectively, on June 20 or 21. And again after the longest night the countdown begins reverse.

Even in ancient times, the winter solstice was celebrated . Before the long winter, people hammered all the cattle and feasted. Then this day received the following meaning - the awakening of life.

This holiday is the largest and most famous among the Germanic peoples, the medieval Jol. On the night after which the luminary gradually rose higher and higher, they burned fires in the fields, consecrated plants (trees) and harvested, and cooked cider.

And the shortest night of the year, respectively, comes six months after these events.

In the current world, these significant dates are not as important as they were before in our ancestors. However, the modern pagans continue to regard them as holidays and certainly mark, as was customary in the old days.