The total lunar eclipse coincided with the date of the December Solstice.

这次月全食恰好发生在冬至日。

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Remarkably, the total lunar eclipse coincided with the date of the December Solstice.

值得注意的是，这次月全食恰好发生在冬至日。

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Of course, the December solstice marks the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the south.

当然，这意味着北半球冬季和南半球夏季的开始。

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The superstitious believed that hibernating animals would emerge from their long winter slumber to check on the weather on Candlemas, which is halfway between the winter solstice in December and the vernal equinox in March.

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The tradition goes back to medieval times when there was a superstition that all hibernating animals emerged from their caves and dens to check the weather on Candlemas, which is halfway between the winter solstice in December and the vernal equinox in March.

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Indeed, it seems very likely that the winter solstice was not dedicated to Sol by the Romans until after the bishop of Rome first celebrated Christmas on December 25th in 336 AD.

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