The "New Moon Winter Solstice" when the sun and moon overlap — miss it today and you'll have to wait 38 years

▲ A new moon overlapping with the sun, a sight that only appears once every 19 years — don’t miss it until 2052 Up！(Photo／Sourced fromJapan’s Unbelievable.NET website)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Today (the 22nd) is the Winter Solstice, but this year’s Winter Solstice is very special indeed！Becausetoday happens to be the day when the sun is at its lowest position in the northern hemisphere, and it also coincides exactly with the new moon. This kind of astronomical wonder only occurs once every 19 years, which is why the Japanese also call itthe "New Moon Winter Solstice"— if you want to see the Winter Solstice and the new moon coincide again, you’ll have to wait until 2052！However, although today marks the appearance of the year’s last crescent new moon, it’s also the time when moonlight is at its weakest, so it might be quite a challenge for the public to catch a glimpse of the new moon just by looking up.

In ancient calendrical systems, the "Winter Solstice" was considered the start of the year and was also known as the Sun’s Resurrection Day, while the new moon was referred to as the Moon’s Resurrection Day. When the Sun’s and Moon’s Resurrection Days fell on the same day, it was called the "New Moon Winter Solstice."

In ancient times, this day was regarded as an auspicious omen, and the imperial court would hold grand ceremonies to celebrate it. Influenced by China, Japan’s imperial court from the Nara period to the Edo period also held celebratory rituals. Even in modern times, a small number of shrines and temples in Japan still hold blessing ceremonies, and many Japanese people take the opportunity to visit temples on this day to pray for good health. There’s also a saying that your luck is especially good on this day.

On this cold Winter Solstice, did you eat tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) today?