South African National Antarctic Programme

Mid-Winter greetings from DEA

by Fishgate@sanap | Jun 21, 2019 | Antarctica, Current Event, Gough Island, Important Dates, Marion Island, News, Overwintering Team, SANAE, SANAP

Mid-Winter is celebrated right across Antarctica by all the nations & stations.  It is the 0ldest tradition in Antarctica and refers to the Winter Solstice (or hibernal solstice).  It occurs when one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt away from the Sun. It happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, when the Sun is at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky.

At the pole, there is continuous darkness or twilight around the winter solstice. Its opposite is the summer solstice.

The winter solstice occurs during the hemisphere’s winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice (usually 20 or 21 June).   Although the winter solstice itself lasts only a moment, the term sometimes refers to the day on which it occurs. Other names are “midwinter”, the “extreme of winter” (Dongzhi), or the “shortest day”.

So, for Antarctic Expeditioners / Overwinterers the worst is over with regards to dark (lack of light and sunlight).

Happy Mid- Winter to all – share this email far and wide.

From all of us

Jasmine Arnold

Office Administrator to The Ship’s Operations Manager | Directorate: Southern Oceans & Antarctic Support | Office address: East Pier, Waterfront | Direct no: 021 405 9485 | Switchboard: 021 405 9400

Mid-winter Event Pretoria, South Africa – organised by Carol Jacobs :