Why do the nights get shorter and shorter after the solstice in winter?

After the solstice in winter, the nights are getting shorter and shorter. The winter solstice is in the middle of November of the lunar calendar, that is, Gregorian calendar 65438+February 22 or 23. On the solstice of winter, the direct sunlight on the ground reaches the southernmost point of the year, that is, the sun is directly on the tropic of Capricorn, and the sun is most biased towards the northern hemisphere. Therefore, the winter solstice is also the year with the shortest day and the longest night in the northern hemisphere all year round. After the winter solstice, the direct point of the sun slowly moves northward, and the days in the northern hemisphere gradually lengthen and the nights gradually shorten.

custom

China attached great importance to the winter solstice in ancient times, and the winter solstice was regarded as a grand festival. People regard the winter solstice as the starting point of solar terms. After the winter solstice, the new year is coming, so the solemnity of the ancient winter solstice festival is no less than that of the New Year. There is a saying that the winter solstice is as big as a year, that is to say, the custom of winter solstice is almost the same as the New Year holiday.

People think that after the winter solstice, the days become longer and longer and the sun rises. This is the beginning of a solar cycle and an auspicious day, which should be celebrated. Explain the ancient emphasis on the winter solstice. Celebrations have been held since the Han Dynasty. At the peak, the court is closed for three days, and you don't listen to politics. The folk closed for three days, as lively as the Chinese New Year.

Reference to the above content: People's Daily Online-Twenty-four solar terms | Winter solstice