The shortest day is the day of the winter solstice in 2012 fell on December 21.

Solstice is one of two days in the year when the height of the sun above the horizon at midday the minimum or maximum. In year two solstice - winter and summer.

At the winter solstice, the sun rises at a minimum height above the horizon.

In the Northern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs 21 or 22 December, and then there is the shortest day and the longest night. The time of the solstice annually shifted, as the duration of the solar year coincides with the calendar time.

In 2012 winter solstice fell on December 21. The sun maximum sank in the southern hemisphere, and there was astronomical winter.

During the winter solstice the sun above the latitude of 66.5 degrees generally does not rise-only twilight in these latitudes say that it is somewhere below the horizon. At the North pole of the Earth is not visible not only the Sun, but also of twilight, and the location of the light is to be found through the constellations.

on December 21, the sun crossed 18 hours Meridian and starts to climb up the Ecliptic, starting the path to the spring equinox, when it crosses the celestial equator.

The ancient Slavs in the winter solstice was celebrated pagan New year, he was associated with the divine Kolyada. The main attribute of the festivities was a fire, representing and urging the light of the sun, which, after the longest night of the year had to climb higher and higher. Ritual of Christmas cake - loaf - form also reminded the sun.

In Europe these days has begun a 12-day cycle of the pagan celebration of the winter solstice, which marked the beginning of new life and the renewal of nature.

At the winter solstice in Scotland was the custom to run the sun-wheel-Solstice. Barrel daubed burning pitch and let down the street. The wheel is a symbol of the sun, the spokes of a wheel reminded rays, rotation spoke at movement did wheel alive and similar to the light.