Solstice
in astronomy, the time when the sun is in one of the solstitial points that is, when it is at its greatest distance from the equator-and is so called because he then appears to stand still, and not to change his distance from the equator for some time. There are two solstices in each year-the summer and the winter solstice. The former is when the sun seems to enter the tropic of Cancer, which is on June 21, the longest day; the latter solstice is when the sun enters the first degree, or seems to deday; the latter solstice is when the sun on Dec. 22, the shortest da day. This is only to be understood of the Northern Hemisphere, as in the Southern the sun's entrance into Capricorn makes the summer solstice, and into Cancer the winter solstice.