Which event occurs in December?

Which event occurs in December?

• A. December Solstice
• B. June Solstice
• C. March Equinox
• D. September Equinox

Answer: (A)

In December the Sun reaches its southernmost position in the sky for the year, called the December Solstice. This is one of two solstices, the other being in June. The December Solstice marks the shortest day for the Northern Hemisphere and the longest for the Southern Hemisphere, due to Earth's tilt of about 23.44 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun. At this moment the Sun’s apparent declination is about -23.44 degrees, roughly over the Tropic of Capricorn, and the timing typically falls around December 21 or 22. The other events listed occur at different times of the year: the June Solstice around late June, and the March and September Equinoxes around late March and late September, when day and night are approximately equal.

In December the Sun reaches its southernmost position in the sky for the year, called the December Solstice. This is one of two solstices, the other being in June. The December Solstice marks the shortest day for the Northern Hemisphere and the longest for the Southern Hemisphere, due to Earth's tilt of about 23.44 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun. At this moment the Sun’s apparent declination is about -23.44 degrees, roughly over the Tropic of Capricorn, and the timing typically falls around December 21 or 22. The other events listed occur at different times of the year: the June Solstice around late June, and the March and September Equinoxes around late March and late September, when day and night are approximately equal.