Explanation:
Today the Solstice occurs at 0608
Universal Time,
the Sun reaching its southernmost declination in planet
Earth's sky.
Of course, the
December
Solstice marks
the beginning of
winter
in the northern hemisphere and summer in the south.
When viewed from northern latitudes, the Sun will
make its lowest arc through the sky along the southern horizon.
So in the north, the Solstice day has the shortest length of time between
sunrise and sunset and fewest hours of daylight.
This striking composite
image follows the Sun's path through
the December Solstice day of 2005 in a beautiful blue
sky, looking down the
Tyrrhenian Sea
coast from Santa Severa toward Fiumicino, Italy.
The view covers about 115 degrees in 43 separate, well-planned
exposures from sunrise to sunset.
APOD presents: Astronomy Pictures of the Year for 2007
