The Occurrence of
the Solar Terms
1995-2013



This table shows the dates, in Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time), on which the sun reaches the ecliptic longitudes for each of the solar terms, in the years 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 according to the data for the sun in The Astronomical Almanac for the Year 1995 and subsequent volumes for 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 [U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, and Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012].

THE SOLAR
TERMS
1995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013Long-
itude
of Sun
23. Little Cold1/51/61/51/51/51/61/51/51/51/61/51/51/51/51/51/51/61/51/5285o
24. Great Cold1/201/201/201/201/201/201/201/201/201/201/191/201/201/201/191/201/201/201/19300o
1. Spring
Begins
2/42/42/32/42/42/42/32/42/42/42/32/32/42/42/32/32/42/42/3315o
2. Rain Water2/192/192/182/182/192/192/182/182/192/192/182/182/192/192/182/182/192/192/18330o
3. Excited
Insects
3/53/53/53/53/63/53/53/53/53/53/53/53/53/53/53/53/53/53/5345o
4. Vernal
Equinox
3/213/203/203/203/213/203/203/203/213/203/203/203/213/203/203/203/203/203/200o
5. Clear &
Bright
4/54/44/44/44/54/44/44/44/54/44/44/44/54/44/44/44/54/44/415o
6. Grain Rains4/204/194/204/204/204/194/204/204/204/194/194/204/204/194/194/204/204/194/1930o
7. Summer
Begins
5/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/55/545o
8. Grains Fills5/215/205/215/215/215/205/205/215/215/205/205/215/215/205/205/215/215/205/2060o
9. Grain in Ear6/66/56/56/56/66/56/56/56/66/56/56/56/66/56/56/56/66/56/575o
10. Summer
Solstice
6/216/216/216/216/216/216/216/216/216/216/216/216/216/206/216/216/216/206/2190o
11. Slight Heat7/77/67/77/77/77/67/77/77/77/67/77/77/77/67/67/77/77/67/6105o
12. Great Heat7/237/227/227/237/237/227/227/237/237/237/227/227/237/227/227/227/237/227/22120o
13. Autumn
Begins
8/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/78/7135o
14. Limit of
Heat
8/238/228/238/238/238/228/238/238/238/228/238/238/238/228/228/238/238/228/22150o
15. White Dew9/89/79/79/79/89/79/79/79/89/79/79/79/89/79/79/79/79/79/7165o
16. Autumn
Equinox
9/239/229/229/239/239/229/229/239/239/229/229/239/239/229/229/239/239/229/22180o
17. Cold Dew10/810/810/810/810/810/710/810/810/810/710/810/810/810/710/810/810/810/710/8195o
18. Frost Descends10/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/2310/23210o
19. Winter
Begins
11/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/711/7225o
20. Little Snow11/2211/2211/2211/2211/2211/2211/2211/2211/2211/2111/2211/2211/2211/2111/2211/2211/2211/2111/22240o
21. Great Snow12/712/612/712/712/712/612/712/712/712/612/712/712/712/612/612/712/712/612/6255o
22. Winter
Solstice
12/2212/2112/2112/2212/2212/2112/2112/2212/2212/2112/2112/2212/2212/2112/2112/2112/2212/2112/21270o

The table begins in January with the calendar year. A true Chinese reckoning, of course, would time the events on a meridian in China, by convention 120o East, instead of on the Prime Meridian of Greenwich. However, the practice here, using Greenwich, serves to universalize this aspect of Chinese astronomy, times for China can be obtained just by adding a few hours, and, after all, the UT data is what I have readily available. I don't think I would want to correct it anyway, since I like the universalization.


Return to "The Solar Terms and the Chinese Calendar"

The Solar Terms and the Chinese Calendar

History of Philosophy

Philosophy of Science, Calendars

Philosophy of Science

Philosophy of Religion

Philosophy of History

Home Page

Copyright (c) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 Kelley L. Ross, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved