Solstice and Equinox are marked as two very different times of year which occur on the in alternating time periods on the Earth. Two solstices and two equinoxes divided the 365-day Earth's calendar into four equal parts, each alternating a season: Summer and Winter Solstice & Spring and Autumn Equinox.

Solstice derives from the Latin, meaning sun stands still' and Equinox, meaning equal night'. These description reflect quite accurately their marked periods on Earth.

The summer solstice is the first day of summer & the sun is farthest North from the earth (at the farthest point in Earth's orbit around the sun). Because of this, the length of time between sunrise and sunset is the longest of the year for locations located north of the Tropic of Cancer. The tip of the North Pole leans towards the sun. Alternately, the South Pole leans away from it.*

The winter solstice is the first day of winter & the sun is at its farthest South position from Earth. This solstice creates the shortest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere.

*Because of the earth's tilted axis, different parts of the Earth receive different amounts of sunlight creating opposite season from their northern or southern counterparts. When the northern hemisphere is experiencing its longest day of the year, the southern will be having the shortest and vice versa.

The further one lives to the North or the South of the equator the more distinct the seasons will be. For those living nearer the equator, the sun will not show marked shifts in the sky.

Twice a year, the day- and night-time are equal lengths (12 hours each). At this time, the sun is following the line of the equator at an equal distance from the North and South Poles and is situated directly over the Earth's equator.

The spring equinox is the first day of spring and the beginning of long periods of sunlight at the Poles. In turn, autumn equinox marks the beginning of long periods of nighttime at the Poles.

The seasonal equinoxes and solstices split the orbit of the earth into four balanced pieces, marking the rotation of the earth around the sun and separating the seasons.

There is a long history of the solstices and equinoxes marking celebrations and festivals of seasons and life. Many of these observances are still remembered and honored today in many countries and different walks of faiths. All honor the changing of the season and the continuing cycle of life, death, and rebirth as the Earth continues to do the same in it's orbit around the sun.

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