A solstice is the moment in the year when the sun reaches its furthest point north or south, and so the day is either the longest or the shortest of the whole year.

A solstice(至)Solstice is指的是 the moment in the year一年中的那一刻 when the sun reaches its furthest point north or south太陽到達最北或最南那個點，and so因此 the day那一天 is either the longest or the shortest of the whole year會是全年最長或最短的一天。

There are two every year. The summer solstice is around 21 June in the northern half of the world, and that is the longest day. The winter solstice is around 21 or 22 December, the shortest day. South of the equator it is the other way round — June is their winter solstice.

There are two每年有兩次。The summer solstice夏至（summer solstice） is around 21 June在北半球大約是6月21日 in the northern half of the world，and that並 is the longest day是一年中最長的一天。The winter solstice冬至（winter solstice） is around 21 or 22 December大約是12月21或22日，the shortest day是最短的一天。South of the equator在赤道以南 it is the other way round情況正好相反——June6月 is their winter solstice對他們來說是冬至。

Strictly speaking a solstice is a moment, not a day: astronomers can tell you the exact hour and minute. In ordinary talk, though, people use it for the whole day: 'we're going to the beach on the solstice'.

Strictly speaking嚴格來說，a solstice solstice is a moment是一個時刻，not a day不是一整天：astronomers天文學家 can tell you可以告訴你 the exact hour and minute確切的時和分。In ordinary talk不過在日常說法裡，though people用人們會 use it for the whole day用它來指整整一天：'we're going to the beach on the solstice'「我們至日那天要去海邊」。

The word is a bit formal or scientific, but it also has a warm, old feeling to it, because people have been marking these days with festivals for thousands of years — that is why you meet it in newspapers about Stonehenge, and in the names of parties and music festivals.

The word這個詞 is a bit formal or scientific有點正式或科學，but但 it also has a warm, old feeling to it也帶有一種溫暖、古老的感覺，because因為 people have been marking these days with festivals人們用節慶來標記這些日子 for thousands of years已經有幾千年的歷史——that is why這也是為什麼 you meet it你會遇到它 in newspapers about Stonehenge在講巨石陣的新聞報導裡，and也 in the names of parties and music festivals出現在派對和音樂節的名字裡。

Note that the solstice is about daylight length, not about temperature: the longest day is not the hottest day of the year, because the land and sea take weeks to warm up. This is why English speakers sometimes call the June solstice 'midsummer' even though it is the beginning of summer — the naming is older than the science.

Note注意，that the solstice is about daylight length solstice講的是白天長度，not about temperature不是溫度：the longest day最長的一天 is not the hottest day of the year並不是一年中最熱的一天，because因為 the land and sea陸地和海洋 take weeks to warm up需要好幾個星期才會變暖。This is why這就是為什麼 English speakers英語使用者 sometimes call the June solstice有時候把六月的solstice叫做 'midsummer'「midsummer（仲夏）」 even though即使 it is the beginning of summer那其實是夏天的開始——the naming這個叫法 is older than the science比科學知識還要古老。

The other pair of dates, when day and night are equal, are the equinoxes, in March and September.

The other pair of dates另外一對日子，when day and night are equal也就是白天和夜晚一樣長的時候，are the equinoxes叫做equinox（分點），in March and September分別在3月和9月。