Solstice

Today was winter solstice, it officially happened at 1:35pm EST.
"In astronomy, the solstice is either of the two times a year when the Sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator, the great circle on the celestial sphere that is on the same plane as the earth's equator. In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs either December 21 or 22, when the sun shines directly over the tropic of Capricorn; the summer solstice occurs either June 21 or 22, when the sun shines directly over the tropic of Cancer. In the Southern Hemisphere, the winter and summer solstices are reversed."
http://www.factmonster.com/spot/wintersolstice1.html

Today the shortest day of the year. Sunrise was at 8:25am (MST) and sunset was at 4:33pm (MST). 8 hours and 7 minutes of daylight!
"The winter solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year. The sun appears at its lowest point in the sky, and its noontime elevation appears to be the same for several days before and after the solstice. Hence the origin of the word solstice, which comes from Latin solstitium, from sol, "sun" and -stitium, "a stoppage." Following the winter solstice, the days begin to grow longer and the nights shorter.
Don't miss December's solar and lunar eclipses"
http://www.factmonster.com/spot/wintersolstice1.html
http://host1.farmzone.com/inter/tools/moonsun/index.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/docsearls/sets/1629346/