Tag Archives: seasons

History, Seasons

Welcome to Summer!

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With the Summer Solstice today, summer officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere. Below the equator, the seasons are reversed, and it is the Winter Solstice. The June Solstice takes place between June 20-22. To determine the exact time of the Summer Solstice in your area, go to timeanddate.com.

This illustration shows how daylight falls on Earth at the seasonal points.
Image: NASA

Summer is the warmest of all the seasons with daylight hours the longest. The Summer Solstice has the longest day of sunlight. Prior to the solstice, daybreak gets earlier, and sunsets much later. While it gets warm and dry in North America (except for thunderstorms and hurricanes) and Europe, other areas particularly in Asia see tremendous amounts of rain called monsoons. Summer is usually time off for students in schools and universities. Also, many take time off from work to celebrate vacation with their family and friends. A lot of sporting events and outdoor concerts take place during this time as well. In areas of the far north, the sun never truly sets during this period (and in wintertime the sun never really rises either).

Summer field in Belgium (Hamois). The blue flower is cornflower and the red one a corn poppy.
Image credit: Luc Viatour (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Summer Solstice (or the local beginning of summer depending on custom and tradition) is celebrated in different ways. Some light bonfires, houses are decorated with festive banners, and special foods are eaten. Some go to Stonehenge and watch the sunrise of the first rays of summer. In Sweden, it is tradition to have the first strawberries of the season and the first full moon after the solstice is called the Strawberry moon. In some places, Midsummer’s Day is celebrated on 24 June preceded by Midsummer’s Eve. Since summer means then end of long and dark winters in some places of Europe, lighting torches and bonfires became a way to note it, sometimes in town squares or mountainsides.

Sources

Bikos, Konstantin, Aparna Kher, and Graham Graham Jones. “June Solstice: Shortest and Longest Day of the Year.” TimeandDate. https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/june-solstice.html.

Boeckmann, Catherine. “Summer Solstice 2026: When Is the First Day of Summer?” Almanac.Com. Last modified June 10, 2026. https://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-summer-summer-solstice.

Miscellaneous, Seasons

Welcome to Spring 2026

Colorful Spring Garden
Photo:Anita Martinz(Flickr)

The March Equinox marks the moment where the Sun crosses the equator (an imaginary line in the sky above the equator) from south to north and usually occurs between March 19-21 every year. Both the March and September equinoxes are when the Sun shines directly on the equator making night and day nearly equal. This equinox is the transition from winter to spring in the Northern Hemisphere but the reverse in the Southern Hemisphere (summer into fall). Various cultures celebrate March equinox as a time of rebirth. Many spring festivals are timed to coincide with the equinox, and some religious events (Passover and Easter) use specific calculations based on the equinox to help determine the exact day of the event.

A sure sign spring is here is when lambs appear.
Spring Lamb In The Sunshine
Photo: Tanya Hall/publicdomainpictures.net

Meteorologists however start spring on March 1 rather than by the March Equinox. The reason is that they divide the year into four quarters to make it easier to compare data and compile statistics. Meteorological seasons use annual temperature cycles rather than the position of the Sun. While astronomers follow the position of the Sun regarding equinoxes and solstices, meteorologists use the calendar to prevent problems since the dates of equinoxes and solstices can vary each year.

 Early spring is when the Earth’s axis increases its tilt relative to the Sun resulting in more daylight for that part world where it spring is occurring. It is a time when the increased warmth results in more plant growth (spring forth as it used to be said and how spring got its name). The resulting warmth also makes snow melt causing streams to swell and frosts to diminish. For areas that get little or no snow, ground temperatures will increase quickly as well. Despite spring beginning in March, in areas where there is no snow early plant growth can begin as early as February (or August down below). Arctic zones may not experience spring until May.

Solstices and Equinoxes
Image: NASA

Due to the reversal of seasons in the Southern Hemisphere, Easter is celebrated in Autumn. The Allhallowtide (Halloween, All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day) is celebrated in Spring.

Despite the change of the seasons–both calendar and meteorologically speaking–winter does continue in many places. And with it can come unpredictable weather which my favorite feline Garfield illustrates it perfectly. Garfield is outside. First it is warm and sunny. Then cold and rainy. Then back to warm and sunny. And then rain again and then another dry day. Finally, Garfield yells in exasperation “Will you make up your mind?” The next frame is split with one half having rain and the other half sunny. And it is more accurate than most of us want to believe.

There are two sayings that get the season right, courtesy of The Old Farmer’s Almanac:

Bluebirds are a sign of spring; warm weather and gentle south breezes they bring.

One swallow does not make a spring.

Welcome to Spring!

Sources

“When Is Spring 2026?” Accessed March 19, 2026. https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/spring-equinox.html.

———. “First Day of Spring 2026: The Spring Equinox.” Almanac.Com. Last modified March 16, 2026. Accessed March 19, 2026. https://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-spring-vernal-equinox.

———. “March Equinox 2026: Here’s All You Need to Know.” EarthSky | Updates on Your Cosmos and World. Last modified March 15, 2026. Accessed March 19, 2026. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-vernal-or-spring-equinox/.

Holidays, Miscellaneous

Today is the Winter Solstice (21 December 2025)

The Winter Solstice occurs between December 20-23 with the sun directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn. This results in the North Pole being tilted the furthest away making it the shortest day of the year followed by the longest night. The further north you live during winter means less daylight during the winter. Some areas in Alaska or Scandinavia can be nearly dark or near dark during this period. By contrast, those in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate the Summer Solstice, as it marks the beginning of summer. Which is why while people shiver in Philadelphia and New York for Christmas but down in Australia, Christmas is celebrated outdoors with a barbeque.

For the exact time of the Winter Solstice where you are, please go to https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html.

Winter Landscape
George Hodan
Publicdomainpictures.net

Many cultures observed the Winter Solstice as it marked an important time in the agricultural cycle. By this time all crops and livestock had been prepared for winter. Important foodstuffs were stored for the months when virtually nothing grew. Wine and beer, which had been fermenting during the year, was ready. Cattle and pigs would often be killed at the start of winter so they would not have to be fed during this time. The early months of winter were tough in many places and often called the “famine months” since little food was to be found. Many cultures observed the Winter Solstice as a renewal or that the year was reborn. For out of the seeming withdrawal of the sun, it would come back just as strong and powerful as before. Thus, the Winter Solstice was seen by many as the start of a new year such as the old Roman Feast of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) which happened around the 25th of December.

Sources

———. “Winter Solstice – Date, Definition & Traditions | HISTORY.” HISTORY. Last modified May 28, 2025. Accessed December 20, 2025. https://www.history.com/articles/winter-solstice.

“Winter Solstice.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Last modified December 20, 2025. Accessed December 20, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/science/winter-solstice.

Boeckmann, Catherine. “The First Day of Winter: Winter Solstice 2025.” Almanac.Com. Last modified December 15, 2025. Accessed December 20, 2025. https://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-winter-winter-solstice.

Donvito, Tina. “15 Fascinating Winter Solstice Traditions Around the World.” Reader’s Digest, August 6, 2025. https://www.rd.com/list/winter-solstice-traditions/.

Osen, Frode. “Sol Invictus: The Unconquered Sun in Roman Religion – Roman Empire.” Roman Empire – for Those Thinking About the Roman Empire. Last modified November 23, 2023. Accessed December 20, 2025. https://romanempirehistory.com/roman-gods/sol-invictus/.

Miscellaneous

Autumn Equinox Today

There are two equinoxes in the year, Autumn (September) and Spring (March). When these equinoxes occur, the sun is directly on the equator, and the length of day and night is almost equal. In the Northern hemisphere, the September Equinox heralds autumn but the opposite below the equator where it heralds the beginning of spring.  Go here to see the time it begins in your area.

Solstices and Equinoxes
Image: NASA

For those of us in the North, it means a transition from summer to winter.  During this period days start getting shorter and nights longer. Depending on where you live, you will likely have moderate warm days followed by long and cooler nights. Harvests of many crops often take place during the fall and in the old days you would prepare to store food for the winter. Harvest festivals are very popular and in particular Halloween. Pumpkins begin appearing along with all kinds of Halloween decor culminating, of course, in All Hallows Eve (Halloween) on October 31.

Photo:David Wagner(publicdomainpictures.net)

For More Information

Catherine Boeckmann, “When Is the First Day of Fall? Autumnal Equinox 2025,” Almanac.Com, last modified September 8, 2025, accessed September 9, 2025, https://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-fall-autumnal-equinox.

“Autumnal Equinox | Definition, Dates, & Facts,” Encyclopedia Britannica, last modified July 12, 2025, accessed September 9, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/science/autumnal-equinox.

Ashim, “September Equinox 2025: All You Need to Know – Space &Amp; Telescope,” Space & Telescope, September 9, 2025, accessed September 9, 2025, https://spaceandtelescope.com/september-equinox-2025/.

“When Is Fall 2025 & 2026?,” accessed September 9, 2025, https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/autumnal-equinox.html.

Miscellaneous

Today is the June Solstice

The June Solstice today begins summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Since seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere, it begins winter. The June Solstice takes place between June 20-22. It is also the longest day of sunlight in the north (the reverse in the south). To determine the exact time of the Summer Solstice in your area, go to timeanddate.com.

This illustration shows how daylight falls on Earth at the seasonal points.
Image: NASA

Summer, the warmest of all seasons and long daylight hours, sees sunrises earlier and sunsets later. Though warm and dry in North America and Europe (except for thunderstorms and hurricanes), Asia gets lots of rain from monsoons. Vacations from school and work are common in summer with sporting and outdoor events for people to attend. In the far north the sun never sets during this time (the opposite in the south where the sun never rises.

Summer field in Belgium (Hamois). The blue flower is cornflower and the red one a corn poppy.
Image credit: Luc Viatour (via Wikimedia Commons)

Summer Solstice celebrations are celebrated all over the world with different customs and traditions. Bonfires, festive banners, and special foods are eaten. Some travel to Stonehenge to see the first rays of the sun illuminate it. The first full moon after the June Solstice is often called the Strawberry Moon since the first strawberries of the season are available. Midsummer’s Day is on June 24. Summer means in many places-where winters are long and dark- that the sun has returned. Celebratory bonfires and torches are lit to note the change in towns and in mountain villages.

Sources

Catherine Boeckmann, “Summer Solstice 2025: When Is the First Day of Summer?,” Almanac.Com, last modified June 20, 2025, https://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-summer-summer-solstice.

June Solstice: the Longest (and Shortest) Day. (n.d.). https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/june-solstice.html

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Summer | Sunshine, Heatwaves, Vacations,” Encyclopedia Britannica, last modified June 20, 2025, https://www.britannica.com/science/summer-season.

Holidays, Miscellaneous

Today is the Winter Solstice (21 Dec 2024)

The Winter Solstice occurs usually between December 20-23 with the sun directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn. This results in the North Pile being tilted the furthest away making it the shortest day of the year followed by the longest night. The further north you live during winter means less daylight during the winter. Some areas in Alaska or Scandinavia can be nearly dark or near dark during this period. By contrast, those in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate the Summer Solstice, as it marks the beginning of summer. Which is why while people shiver in Philadelphia and New York for Christmas but down in Australia, Christmas is celebrated outdoors with a barbeque.

Solstices and Equinoxes
Image: NASA

 

Many cultures observed the Winter Solstice as it marked an important time in the agricultural cycle. By this time all crops and livestock had been prepared for winter. Important foodstuffs were stored for the months when virtually nothing grew. Wine and beer, which had been fermenting during the year, was ready. Cattle and pigs would often be killed at the start of winter so they would not have to be fed during this time. The early months of winter were tough in many places and often called the “famine months” since little food was to be found. Many cultures observed the Winter Solstice as a renewal or that the year was reborn. For out of the seeming withdrawal of the sun, it would come back just as strong and powerful as before. Thus, the Winter Solstice was seen by many as the start of a new year such as the old Roman Feast of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) which happened around the 25th of December.

 

For more information:

———. “Winter Solstice – Date, Definition & Traditions | HISTORY.” HISTORY, December 11, 2023. https://www.history.com/topics/natural-disasters-and-environment/winter-solstice.

———. “Winter Solstice | Definition & Diagrams.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Last modified December 21, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/science/winter-solstice.

Donvito, Tina. “15 Fascinating Winter Solstice Traditions Around the World.” Reader’s Digest. Last modified September 20, 2024. https://www.rd.com/list/winter-solstice-traditions/.

 

 

Miscellaneous

Autumn Equinox Today (22 Sep 2024)

There are two equinoxes in the year, Autumn (September) and Spring (March). When these equinoxes occur the sun is directly on the equator, and the length of day and night is almost equal. In the Northern hemisphere, the September Equinox heralds autumn but the opposite below the equator where it heralds the beginning of spring.  Go here to see the time it begins in your area.

Solstices and Equinoxes
Image: NASA

For those of us in the North, it means a transition from summer to winter.  During this period  days start getting shorter and nights longer. Depending on where you live, you will likely have moderate warm days followed by long and cooler nights. Harvests of many crops often take place during the fall and in the old days you would make preparations to store food for the winter. Harvest festivals are very popular and in particular Halloween. Pumpkins begin appearing along with all kinds of Halloween decor culminating, of course, in All Hallows Eve (Halloween) on October 31.

Photo:David Wagner(publicdomainpictures.net)

Shop for all things Halloween at the Halloween Store

History, Seasons

Welcome to Summer/Summer Solstice

With the Summer Solstice today, summer officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere. Below the equator, the seasons are reversed, and it is the Winter Solstice. The June Solstice takes place between June 20-22. To determine the exact time of the Summer Solstice in your area, go to timeanddate.com.

This illustration shows how daylight falls on Earth at the seasonal points.
Image: NASA

Summer is the warmest of all the seasons with daylight hours the longest. The Summer Solstice has the longest day of sunlight. Prior to the solstice, daybreak gets earlier, and sunsets much later. While it gets warm and dry in North America (except for thunderstorms and hurricanes) and Europe, other areas particularly in Asia see tremendous amounts of rain called monsoons. Summer is usually time off for students in schools and universities. Also, many take time off from work to celebrate vacation with their family and friends. A lot of sporting events and outdoor concerts take place during this time as well. In areas of the far north, the sun never truly sets during this period (and in wintertime the sun never really rises either).

Summer field in Belgium (Hamois). The blue flower is cornflower and the red one a corn poppy.
Image credit: Luc Viatour (via Wikimedia Commons)

The Summer Solstice (or the local beginning of summer depending on custom and tradition) is celebrated in different ways. Some light bonfires, houses are decorated with festive banners, and special foods are eaten. Some go to Stonehenge and watch the sunrise of the first rays of summer. In Sweden, it is tradition to have the first strawberries of the season and the first full moon after the solstice is called the Strawberry moon. In some places, Midsummer’s Day is celebrated on 24 June preceded by Midsummer’s Eve. Since summer means then end of long and dark winters in some places of Europe, lighting torches and bonfires became a way to note it, sometimes in town squares or mountainsides.

Sources

Summer Solstice 2024: When is the first day of summer? (2024, June 17). Almanac.com. https://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-summer-summer-solstice

June Solstice: the Longest (and Shortest) Day. (n.d.). https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/june-solstice.html

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, June 3). Summer. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer

History, Miscellaneous

Welcome to February

February by Leandro Bassano,1595/1600
Public Domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

February is the second month on the current Gregorian calendar (and the same on the old Julian). It is the shortest month of the year with 28 days except in leap years when it is 29. The name is derived from Februarius, a purification ritual that was held around 15 February on the old Roman lunar calendar. Until the calendar was reformed under the Julian, January and February were the last two months of the year (although originally there were no months after December as the Romans considered the time a month less period until spring). For the southern hemisphere, the seasons are switched so they are heading towards Autumn, so it is the equivalent of August for them.

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With shorter number of days, it is the one month that can pass without a full moon (it happened in 2018). There are many fascinating names used during the month such as Snow Moon to indicate snow is on the ground. Some Native American tribes call it the Hunger Moon due to limited food sources during winter.

Why the leap year?

The old Roman calendar was ten months, which began in March and ended in December. When January and February were added it meant February became the last month of the year. That meant the month had to have 28 days to fit into the calendar. A leap month was introduced every few years after February to make room for the thirteenth month. This meant February had to be shortened. As you might guess, this made things a bit confusing. Julius Caesar introduced the new calendar in 46 BC (named for him of course). He abolished the 13th month and introduced the leap year so that every fourth year, February would have 29 instead of 28 days. Thus, the leap year was born and became part of the Gregorian calendar as well.

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Holidays, Miscellaneous

Today is the Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice occurs usually between December 20-23 with the sun directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn. This results in the North Pile being tilted the furthest away making it the shortest day of the year followed by the longest night. The further north you live during winter means less daylight during the winter. Some areas in Alaska or Scandinavia can be nearly dark or near dark during this period. By contrast, those in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate the Summer Solstice, as it marks the beginning of summer. Which is why while people shiver in Philadelphia and New York for Christmas but down in Australia, Christmas is celebrated outdoors with a barbeque.

Solstices and Equinoxes
Image: NASA

 

Many cultures observed the Winter Solstice as it marked an important time in the agricultural cycle. By this time all crops and livestock had been prepared for winter. Important foodstuffs were stored for the months when virtually nothing grew. Wine and beer, which had been fermenting during the year, was ready. Cattle and pigs would often be killed at the start of winter so they would not have to be fed during this time. The early months of winter were tough in many places and often called the “famine months” since little food was to be found. Many cultures observed the Winter Solstice as a renewal or that the year was reborn. For out of the seeming withdrawal of the sun, it would come back just as strong and powerful as before. Thus, the Winter Solstice was seen by many as the start of a new year such as the old Roman Feast of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) which happened around the 25th of December.

 

For more information:

“Winter Solstice – Date, Definition and Traditions | HISTORY.” HISTORY, 21 Sept. 2017, www.history.com/topics/natural-disasters-and-environment/winter-solstice.

“Winter Solstice | Definition and Diagrams.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Dec. 2023, www.britannica.com/science/winter-solstice.

Donvito, Tina. “13 Fascinating Winter Solstice Traditions Around the World.” Reader’s Digest, 20 Dec. 2023, www.rd.com/list/winter-solstice-traditions. Accessed 21 Dec. 2023.