المملكة: Today…the astronomical start of winter with the shortest day of the year
Advertise President The Astronomical Society in Jeddah, Engineer Majid Abu Zahra, said that today, Sunday, December 21, 2025, represents the official astronomical beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere, coinciding with the phenomenon of the winter solstice in which the sun is perpendicular to the Tropic of Capricorn, recording its maximum apparent inclination towards the south, in a cosmic event that reshapes Day and night map.
Abu Zahra confirmed that this time is a turning point in the annual astronomical calendar, as the sun reaches its lowest height in the dome of the sky, which makes the inhabitants of the northern half of the Earth today live the shortest hours of daylight and the longest hours of night throughout the entire year.
A gradual shift in time
The President of the Astronomical Society announced the beginning of The gradual shift in time, explaining that starting tomorrow, the hours of daylight will begin to increase day after day, while the length of the night gradually decreases, in a precise cosmic cycle that reflects the regularity of the movement of celestial bodies.
Abu Zahra corrected the common notions about the coldness of the weather, indicating that the occurrence of the winter solstice and the change of seasons has nothing to do with the Earth’s distance from the sun, but rather is a direct result of the Earth’s axis of rotation being tilted by 23.5 degrees, which is concrete scientific evidence of sphericity. Earth.
Engineer Majid described this day as a major turning point in the apparent path of the sun, as it stops its deviation southward and begins its apparent return journey towards the north, a movement that human civilizations have relied on since ancient times to adjust agricultural calendars and seasons.
Astronomical observation season
Abu Zahra called on astronomy enthusiasts to take advantage of the long winter nights, pointing out that this season is considered the golden season for astronomical observation thanks to the purity of the atmosphere and the long period of time. Darkness, which makes it easier to see bright stars, nebulae and meteor showers with exceptional clarity.
The president of the association noted the environmental impact of this solstice, as it is astronomically accompanied by a drop in temperatures and an increase in the chances of cloud formation and rainfall in the Arab region, within a balanced climate system that preserves life’s natural cycle.
Abu Zahira concluded his statement by emphasizing that the winter solstice is not just climate change, but rather a cosmic message that reminds us of the accuracy of the astronomical system that regulates our daily lives and adjusts the rhythm. Night and day alternate with extreme precision.
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