Solstice, and the metaphysical meaning of Christmas

Today marks Winter Solstice, the shortest day, the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere (home to 87% of humans). But, as with Equinox and Equilux, the story is complex. The year's earliest sunsets are already behind us, whilst the year's latest sunrises are still to come. Sunset today was already two minutes later than the earliest ones; sunrise was two minutes earlier than the latest ones. 

Here in Chynów, the earliest that the sun set was 15:24. It had set at this time for eight days in a row, from 9–16 December. The latest that the sun will rise is 07:43, and it will rise at this time for seven days in a row, from 27 December to 2 January. So today, Winter Solstice, is indeed the shortest day – but only because of net daylight length, and not because the earliest sunset coincides with the latest sunrise.

The word 'solstice' comes from the Latin meaning the sun is standing; the difference in day length being minimal from one day to the next, both at this time of year and in late June at the summer solstice. Here we have the earliest sunrise over several days (at 04:15 for eight days in a row) occurring before the latest sunset (at 20:59 for six days in a row). Source: TimeAndDate.com

Below: I ask ChatGPT to whip up a graphic to illustrate the above...

[AI gets it wrong with dates of earliest sunset and latest sunrise]

Now, let's go back to prehistory, when early hominids first gazed up at the heavens and began to be aware of the progression of the sun through the heavens and making the connection with the seasons. The turning of the year is a miraculous time. Darkness had been encroaching all the while, imperceptibly at first after the Summer Solstice, then faster and faster around Equinox, then slowing to a halt at the Winter Solstice. And at that point – again, imperceptibly at first – Light begins to prevail. By 25 December, sunset is already five minutes later than at its earliest. That's noticeable, even without a watch. Time for celebration! 

It makes me think how lucky we are here on our planet. Take a rocky exoplanet like 82 G. Eridani d. Located 19 light years from earth, it takes 650 days (1.8 years) to orbit around its sun. It is located at an average orbital distance that puts it within the habitable zone, with liquid water. However, due to its eccentric orbit, its distance from its sun varies greatly. At its longest separation from its sun, 82 G. Eridani d finds itself beyond the habitable zone, and the irradiation received decreases sevenfold compared to when it is closest. Although well over a half of its orbit is spent within the comfortably habitable zone, 3% of its orbit (around 20 days) is at a distance where water on the surface would freeze solid. Imagine Christmas there, celebrating the thaw as the planet begins to get nearer to its sun.

The metaphysical meaning of Christmas is the triumph of light over darkness. A temporary victory in the eternal struggle between entropy (the second law of thermodynamics, which states that all things tend to disorder, that energy dissipates, that matter decays) and syntropy (life, consciousness and the unfolding of the Cosmos). And this relates to the metaphysical meaning of Easter – the triumph of life over death.

This time two years ago:
At the nadir
(Covid, day eight)

This time three years ago
Last good day of 2022

This time four years ago:
The Year of the Phenomenon

This time six years ago:
Sentimental stroll – streets of my childhood

This time seven years ago:
Streets of my childhood
[I did the same walk exactly a year earlier]

This time eight years ago:
Jeziorki – swans and bonus shots

This time ten years ago:
A conspiracy to celebrate

This time 11 years ago:
The Mythos and the Logos in Russia

This time 12 years ago:
Going mobile – my first smartphone

This time 13 years ago:
The world was meant to end today 
[It may not have ended, but it was a tipping point in history.]

This time 14 years ago:
First snow – but proper snow?

The time 15 years ago: 
Dense, wet, rush hour snow

This time 16 years ago:
Evening photography, Powiśle

This time 17 years ago:
The shortest day of the year

This time 18 years ago:
Bye bye borders – Poland joins Schengen