Latin Lives On Solstice vs. Equinox

[Pages:2]Latin Etymology /English Derivatives

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Latin Lives On: Solstice vs. Equinox



Question: What is the difference between solstice and equinox?

Answer: The words solstice and equinox refer to four specific days in the year--one in each of the four

seasons. A solstice occurs in summer and winter; an equinox, in spring and fall.

Solstice The word solstice comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and stitium (standstill). At the solstice, the sun

appears to "stand still". What does this mean?

During the winter and spring months in the northern hemisphere, the sun rises at a more northerly point on the horizon each day. When the sun reaches its extreme northerly point, it rises above the line of latitude known as the Tropic of Cancer (about 23.5? north of the equator). In the northern hemisphere, that day marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer.

For a few days before and after the solstice, the change in position of the sunrise is so slight that the sun seems to come up at the same point on the horizon each day. Thus, it appears to stop or "stand still" for a few days before it changes direction and begins to rise farther and farther to the south each day. When the sunrise reaches its extreme southerly point, it is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn (about 23.5? south of the equator). In the northern hemisphere, that day marks the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and the first day of winter.

In the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice happens on or around June 21, and the winter solstice happens on or around December 22. (Of course, because the seasons are reversed below the equator, the southern hemisphere enjoys its summer solstice around December 22 and experiences its winter solstice around June 21.)

Equinox The word equinox comes from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night). At the equinox, the

night is almost equal in length to the day. Why does this happen?

After the winter solstice, as the sun rises farther and farther to the north, the days in the northern hemisphere grow longer, while the nights grow shorter. Midway through this process, at the spring equinox, the daytime and nighttime hours are almost equal. After the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, the process is reversed. The days grow shorter and the nights longer, until they are once again almost equal, at the fall equinox.

The spring equinox (called the vernal equinox) happens on or around March 21, and the fall (or autumnal) equinox happens on or around September 23.

Vocabulary If you plan to read more on this topic, the following terms may help you:

(solar) altitude: the height of the sun relative to the horizon (from altid, Latin for ` height') autumnal equinox: a brief period when day and night are basically equal in duration,on or around September 23 (from autumnlis, Latin for `pertaining to autumn') axis: an imaginary line that goes through the centre of the Earth, from the North Pole to the South Pole...and...

axial tilt: the number of degrees the Earth leans toward or away from the sun, measured from its axis; the Earth has an axial tilt of about 23.5? at all times (from Latin axis "axle, pivot, axis of the earth or sky") equator: an imaginary line that can be drawn around the Earth at its middle ( from Medieval Latin aequator (diei et noctis) "equalizer (of day and night)")

horizon: a point where the Earth and sky seem to meet (from Latin horizontem (nominative horizon) a dividing line"

line of latitude (or parallel of latitude): an imaginary line that can be drawn around the Earth, parallel to the equator (that is, the same distance (width) from the equator at every point) The latitude of the equator is 0? and the latitude of the North and South poles is 90?. (from latitd, Latin for `width, wideness')

line of longitude (or meridian of longitude): a long imaginary line that can be drawn around the Earth, starting at the North Pole and going to the South Pole. The distance between longitudinal lines narrows as it approaches each polar region, hence it is NOT the same width (see latitude). (from longitd, Latin for `length `)

northern hemisphere: the half of the Earth that is north of the equator (from Late Latin `hemisphaerium,' from Greek `hemisphairion,' from hemi- "half" + sphaira "sphere")

orbit: the path followed by a planet (or star) around another planet (or star) (from Latin orbita "wheel track, beaten path, rut, course, orbit")

Polaris: the North Star (short for stella polaris, Modern Latin, literally "the pole star")

southern hemisphere: the half of the Earth that is south of the equator (from Late Latin `hemisphaerium,' from Greek `hemisphairion,' from hemi- "half" + sphaira "sphere")

summer solstice: a brief period when the sun does not appear to move, on or around June 21 (from Latin `solstitium' the "point at which the sun seems to stand still,")

Tropic of Cancer: the latitude line at 23.5? N (north) (from Latin `cancer' meaning "a crab,")

Tropic of Capricorn: the latitude line at 23.5? S (south) (from Latin `Capricornus,' literally "horned like a goat," from `caper' (genitive capri) "goat" and `corn,' meaning "goat")

vernal equinox: a brief period when day and night are basically equal in duration, on or around March 21 (from Late Latin vernalis "of the spring," from vernus "of spring," from Latin ver "the spring, spring-time,")

winter solstice: a brief period when the sun does not appear to move, on or around December 22 ((from Latin `solstitium' the "point at which the sun seems to stand still,"))

zenith: the point in the sky directly overhead; the highest point above the horizon (from Old French cenith (Modern French z?nith), from Medieval Latin cenit, senit, bungled scribal transliterations of Arabic samt "road, path," abbreviation of samt ar-ras, literally "the way over the head." Letter -m- misread as -ni-.)

Etymology courtesy of .

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