Flashcards: Winter Solstice

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Solstice

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An astronomical event occurring twice a year, when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.

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Winter solstice

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The shortest day and longest night of the year, occurring when one hemisphere is tilted farthest from the sun.

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Summer solstice

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The longest day and shortest night of the year, occurring when one hemisphere is tilted closest to the sun.

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Equator

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An imaginary line around Earth's middle, dividing it into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

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Hemisphere

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Half of the Earth, divided into northern, southern, eastern, or western sections.

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Axis of rotation

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An imaginary line running through Earth's North and South Poles, around which Earth rotates.

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Tropic of Cancer

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A line of latitude 23.5° north of the equator, where the sun is directly overhead at the summer solstice.

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Tropic of Capricorn

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A line of latitude 23.5° south of the equator, where the sun is directly overhead at the winter solstice.

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Latitude

Back

Imaginary horizontal lines around the Earth used to measure distance north or south of the equator.

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Arctic Circle

Back

A line of latitude 66.5° north of the equator, marking the region where the sun does not set on the summer solstice.