What is a Solstice?

• A. The start of spring
• B. Days of equal day and night
• C. Shortest and longest days of the year
• D. The start of autumn

Answer: (C)

A solstice is when the Sun reaches its most extreme position in the sky due to the tilt of the Earth's axis, resulting in the longest day of the year and the shortest day of the year. The tilt (about 23.5 degrees) means that at certain times the Sun sits higher at noon or lower, changing daylight length. In the Northern Hemisphere, the longest day comes around June 21 and the shortest around December 21; in the Southern Hemisphere, these are opposite. This event is about daylight length extremes, not the start of a season or equal day and night, which are related to equinoxes. That’s why describing a solstice as the shortest and longest days of the year best captures what it is.