19+ Winter Solstice Definition Astronomy Images. In persia, the solstice marked the birthday of mithra, the sun king. In astronomy, the solstice is either of the two times a year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator, the great circle on the celestial sphere that is on the same plane as the earth's equator.

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The winter and summer solstices, and the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, are the extreme points in each of these seasons (see image). Understanding the night sky (4 of 23) what are solstice and equinox? Solstice, either of the two moments in the year when the sun's apparent path is farthest north or south from earth's equator.

Because an almanac is traditionally defined as a calendar of the heavens, we at the old farmer's almanac follows the astronomical definition of the seasons.

Although the solstice is marked by a whole day on the calendar, it's actually just the brief moment there are two ways to look at it: How could astronomers in the ancient world determine that the winter solstice was occurring? Meteorological seasons and astronomical seasons. The winter solstice happens in the blink of an eye.