in Astronomy, that time when the sun is in one of the solstitial points; that is, when he is at his greatest distance from the equator; thus called because he then appears to stand still, and not to change his distance from the equator for some time; an appearance owing to the obliquity of our sphere, and which those living under the equator are strangers to.

The solstices are two in each year; theestival or summer solstice, and the hyemal or winter solstice. The summer solstice is when the sun seems to describe the tropic of cancer, which is on June 22, when he makes the longest day: the winter solstice is when the sun enters the first degree, or seems to describe the tropic of capricorn, which is on December 22, when he makes the shortest day. This is to be understood as in our northern hemisphere; for in the southern, the sun's entrance