Winter solstice one must be able to observe a change in azimuth or elevation less than or equal to about 1/60 of the angular diameter of the sun. Observing that it occurred within a two-day period is easier, requiring an observation precision of only about 1/16 of the angular diameter of the sun. Thus, many observations are of the day of the solstice rather than the instant. This is often done by observing the sunrise and sunset or using an astronomically aligned instrument that allows a ray of light to be cast on a certain point around that time. Length of day
Secular Solstice Secular Solstice The Secular Solstice is a secular humanist event started in New York City in 2013 by Raymond Arnold. It is celebrated annually on the winter solstice (or a nearby convenient date) by secular groups such as the Sunday Assembly. The origin of the secular solstice began after Arnold invited 20 friends to his house in 2011 for a holiday gathering. There, they "ate some food, sang some songs, and lit some candles" and "told stories about why the universe was the way it was and about what kind of people we wanted to be". At the end of