The autumn is over and the winter starts and so does the cycle of seasons continues. Earth is a living planet , at the same time it has its seasons after certain period of time. These seasons- spring, summer, autumn, and winter on the earth are as a result of the tilt of earth’s axis. The earth’s axis is tilted from its perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic by 23.45degrees. Ecliptic is the imaginary circle on the celestial sphere that marks the sun’s apparent path during the year. It is called the solar calendar (complete cycle of 360 degrees) which is divided into 12 phases of 30 degree each .Each zodiac depending on position of earth and sun and in relative to each other determines the season and radiation patterns proportional to the amount of sunlight. ie There is decrease in the amount of sunlight received in the period of July to December while increase in the subsequent phases of the sun.
The movement of the sun from one zodiac phase into another is called the sankranti. Since there are 12 phases , we have altogether 12 sankrantis. Since, makar rashi (zodiac phase of the sun ) is the first phase that observes the increase in the amount of sunlight received due to sun’s movement towards the north, it is very significant in astronomy as well as for the mankind as it represents the revival of sunlight and energy and so is very much celebrated.
It is the phenomenon phase reversal movement of the sun depicted by the two significant days of the year “ the longest day (june 21) and the shortest day (December 21). These days are also marked as the days on which the summer solistice and winter solstice fall respectively. June 21 is the day dakshinayan (northwartd move,ment of the sun from the northward movement) and December 21 is the day uttarayan begins (from the southward movement to the northward). After which comes the movement of the sun into the Capricorn zodiac phase on January 14 i.e. makrsankranti (the day the sun begins to rise in the makar ( Capricorn) zodiac phase.). Occasionally it also falls on January 13 or 14 with the fact that the difference is created due to the revolution of the earth around the sun is made by pushing ahead makar sankranti by a day, every eight years.
And since it is the revival of solar energy into our lives, it is significantly observed and celebrated throughout the different cultures with people wearing black clothing, as the balck colour absorbs more sunlight energy and thus reviving the solar energy, keeping the body warm.
