If the earth is starting to tilt *away* from the sun during the winter solstice, shouldn't the winter solstice mark the middle of winter rather than the beginning (since the hemisphere should be becoming less "wintery")?
2007-12-16 07:56:06 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
I looked on wikipedia and the winter solstice is also known as "midwinter"...so this answers my question. So is there any official starting date for winter?
2007-12-16 08:00:33 · update #1
Although it is midwinter according to the earths position in it's orbit around the sun, there is another factor. The weather lags by about six weeks. that's why we consider it as the beginning of winter.
2007-12-16 08:19:27 · answer #1 · answered by morris 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Between the autumn equinox and winter solstice the tilt of the earth causes the sun to become lower and lower in the sky at noon (the tilt doesn't change, it's the same, but the direction relative to the sun changes).
So, prior to the solstice there is no convenient "marker" to place the start of winter. Hence they have decided to call the start of winter at the winter solstice. It's just a name, after all! There's no big change at any one particular time before the solstice in order to mark the beginning of the winter season.
2007-12-16 08:32:31 · answer #2 · answered by David A 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
IT MARKS THE SHORTEST DAY OF THE YEAR. AND IT WILL BE MORE THAN SIX MONTHS UNTIL WE RECEIVE THE DIRECT RAYS OF THE SUN SO IT'S A LONG COLD SPELL. JAN, WAS CALLED THE MOON OF DEEP SNOWS BY THE AMERICAN INDIANS AND FEB. THE MOON OF BITTER COLD.
2007-12-16 08:13:19 · answer #3 · answered by Loren S 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, it has to start some time.
Can't think of a reason either.
2007-12-16 08:04:34 · answer #4 · answered by John A 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋