|
?:abstract
|
-
The winter solstice marks the astronomical moment when the sun is aligned over the Tropic of Capricorn. On December 21, those who live in the Northern Hemisphere had the shortest day and longest night of the year. This was accompanied in 2020 by a rare alignment of Jupiter and Saturn, which appeared as a singular bright point of light in the night sky for the first time since the Middle Ages. Although many cultures celebrate the winter solstice, the solstice is mostly overlooked in the United States, largely because of the multitude of other holidays around this time of the year. However, the shortest day and longest night seems like a metaphor of sorts for a year like no other in the memory of most-a fitting end and a pause. From the stillness, we can reflect in the space between the past and the future, reviewing the year behind us while appreciating the challenges to be faced in 2021.
|
![[This page as RDF]](https://research.tib.eu/covid-19/static/rdf-icon.gif){kind=icon}