It might not be what we recall being taught in school, but this year the winter solstice falls a day later than usual.
For 2019 it seems in Ireland December 21st wasn't the day crowds gathered at Newgrange, but instead they will congregate today on December 22nd.
"This is because of something the Irish first discovered 6,000 years ago" said David Moore, Editor of Astronomy Ireland magazine.
"We believe the world's first astronomers who were monitoring the motions of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars were able to use the discovery of the solstice - the 'Sun standing still' - to calculate the length of the year at 365 and a quarter days" he said
"That quarter day is now the reason why our modern calendars have an extra leap day added every 4 years to keep the calendar in line with the seasons" said Mr Moore.
"As there won't be a leap year until next year, 2020, the time of solstice has therefore drifted into Dec. 22nd whereas it normally occurs on Dec.21st. Thank you to the neolithic Irish for discovering the length of the year, building Newgrange, the world's oldest astronomically aligned building and starting human space exploration here on this island!" he said
