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A question for you Southern Hemisphere folks...

fireshot91

fireshot91

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jul 31, 2008
4,721
1
Northern VA
So, right now, it's warm in the southern hemisphere right? Well, is it still called Summertime, or is your Winter warm?

Like...do you have Christmas in the middle of Summer, or in the middle of Winter, but it's just warm?
 
I'm trying to decide whether you are being serious or not..

I'll just pretend that you are. Well here in the Southern Hemisphere right now it is Summer. So when you have Winter we have Summer and vice versa. It's because the seasons are based on how the Earth turns on its axis so during your Summer you are facing the Sun hence getting most of it's rays and when it's our Summer we are facing the Sun so we get most of the rays.

And we still celebrate Christmas at the same time as you just during Summer so it's a warm christmas. Christianity doesn't change dates due to the fact it's a different season here then in the Northern Hemisphere.

King Mook Mook
 
Well, I guess I didn't explain it well enough. I know that the religious dates don't change, and I know that it's warm there right now, because it sure as heck isn't warm here...

I was talking about the naming convention, I guess.

Like the season right now, do you call it summer? Or do you call it winter, as we do, but it's just warm?
 
I'm in the Northern Hemisphere and would like to know what you are smoking, and if your dealer is accepting new clients.
 
fireshot91 said:
Like the season right now, do you call it summer? Or do you call it winter, as we do, but it's just warm?
Click to expand...

Okay allow me to try and break it down. The seasons are based on the tilt of the Earth's axis. So when the Southern Hemisphere is closest to the Sun (a.k.a getting the most sun rays) we call it Summer as it is warmest here. This is at the same time you guys in the Northern Hemisphere are facing away from the Sun (a.k.a getting the least sun rays) which you call Winter.

So in short when you guys have Summer, we have Winter and we call it Winter. When we have Winter we call it Winter, so at that time you are having Summer and you call it Summer.

King Mook Mook
 
And just to further clarify for the OP - the solstices and equinoxes both switch names as well...so it's not like they have Winter - Autumn - Summer - Spring down there.

Northern Hemisphere-Southern Hemisphere

Spring-Autumn
Summer-Winter
Autumn-Spring
Winter-Summer
 
We don't live too far from one another. Meet me at the border of NC and VA and bring me a bag of what you have. Please. :eek:
 
Hold on, hold on...it's really not that horrible of a question now is it?

Think back during the time of the European explorers who were from the Northern Hemisphere, of course and ending up in South Africa or Australia for the first time in January. Wasn't it still winter in their minds? But it seemed a lot warmer than it 'should' be.

Of course most participating in this thread know this, but it's a valid question. I'm sure at some point, someone in power figured things out and got the whole nomenclature thing down, but when you learn that the definition of when the sun's direct rays are over the Tropic of Capricorn is the first day of winter...it's not hard to assume that maybe the Southern Hemisphere might still call it winter...despite the fact that it is warm.

So have some respect for a reasonable question.
 
This is a great thread.

I always wished we could celebrate xmas in August like those southern himisphereans.
 
Seasons were simple for me when I lived in Australia.

March 21st - June whatever = Autumn.
June whatever = Sept. 21st = Winter.
Sept. 21st - Dec. 21st = Spring.
Dec 21st - March 21st = Summer.

Holidays were already explained.

Now.. as a yank living down there, for the first couple of months, my sense of direction was b0rked. When I thought I was facing south, I was facing north, and vice-versa. In the northern hemisphere, we were generally taught that if we are lost, look for Ursa Major, and it will point to Polaris (North Star). You don't see Polaris from down there, so you lose that sense of direction. Also, most nothern hemisphere constellations are upside down. Good case in point: it's weird seeing Orion completely upside down; you'd have to do a headstand to see him rightside up (to us Northerners).

After a while, though, you get used to it. And no, the toilets don't swirl the opposite direction. ;)

BL.
 
mstrze said:
Hold on, hold on...it's really not that horrible of a question now is it?

Think back during the time of the European explorers who were from the Northern Hemisphere, of course and ending up in South Africa or Australia for the first time in January. Wasn't it still winter in their minds? But it seemed a lot warmer than it 'should' be.


So have some respect for a reasonable question.
Click to expand...

It's only a reasonable question if the OP was born hundreds of years ago.
 
Just to add...


Coriolis force changes as well. This influences HIGHS and LOWS in the respective hemisphere.

Northern hemisphere:

HIGHS = Clockwise

LOWS = Counter-clockwise


...and reversed in the Souther hemisphere.
 
lol, Well, I realize that the Earth is tilted, and that the sun's rays are pointing towards the southern hemisphere right now. I was just wondering about the naming scheme...that's all.:eek:
 
fireshot91 said:
lol, Well, I realize that the Earth is tilted, and that the sun's rays are pointing towards the southern hemisphere right now. I was just wondering about the naming scheme...that's all.:eek:
Click to expand...


The only stupid question is the one you dont ask. :)

Many of us could use a refresher on these things.
 
fireshot91 said:
Well, I guess I didn't explain it well enough. I know that the religious dates don't change, and I know that it's warm there right now, because it sure as heck isn't warm here...

I was talking about the naming convention, I guess.

Like the season right now, do you call it summer? Or do you call it winter, as we do, but it's just warm?
Click to expand...

Do you think we are a bunch of retards or something???
Seriously, no s**t that we call it summer...
 
I feel a bit sorry for them. If they fall over they go into the sky and fall forever.
 
steve2112 said:
I thought it was eight kangaroos. Or platypuses. (platypi?)
Click to expand...

Nope, it's llamas:

350220798_8e5f78d404.jpg


Australian-Santa.jpg
 
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