Solstice

Okay kiddo, have you ever noticed that some parts of the year are warmer than others? That's because the Earth moves around the Sun. Sometimes it tilts towards the Sun and sometimes it tilts away from it. The two moments when the Earth's tilt is tilted the most towards or away from the Sun are called solstices.

In summer, the Earth's tilt is tilted towards the sun, which means that the sun shines on us a lot more during the day than it does at night. That's why summer days are usually longer than summer nights. During the winter solstice, which happens around December 21st, the Earth's tilt is tilted away from the Sun, which means we get less sunlight during the day. That's why winter days are usually shorter than winter nights.

People have been measuring solstices for thousands of years, and many cultures have special celebrations for it. For example, in some parts of the world, people celebrate the summer solstice with music and dancing because they are happy that there will be more daylight for all sorts of outdoor activities. In other parts of the world, people celebrate the winter solstice with lights and feasts because they are happy to have the longest night of the year behind them, and the days will slowly start to get longer again.