Google gets start of Winter wrong by 3 weeks

[cubicle67]

Today, on http://www.google.com.au/ the normal Google logo is replaced by a wintery looking one, with mouseover that reads 'first day of winter'. Thing is, in Australia Winter starts June 1st

Yes, not exactly HN material but amusing to see even places like Google get this wrong

[nreece]

It's probably due to the start of the winter solstice — the shortest day in the southern hemisphere and the longest in the northern half of the world (where thousands will be celebrating the summer solstice): http://www.theage.com.au/national/pagans-party-as-winter-sol...

[cubicle67 → nreece]

Yes, it's Winter solstice; no argument there. It's not, as Google are suggesting, the first day of Winter. Big difference.

It looks like the assumption is that other places start their seasons the same date as the US does.

[nreece → cubicle67]

In many countries in the Southern Hemisphere, including Australia, New Zealand and South Africa the winter solstice starts on the 1st of June and the official day of winter starts on June 21.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter

[RiderOfGiraffes → nreece]

That's not a quotation, and it's inaccurate. The Winter Solstice doesn't "start on the 1st of June". The Winter Solstice is a specific astonomical point in time. Wikipedia says:

    In many countries in the Southern Hemisphere,
    including Australia [3][4], New Zealand and
    South Africa, winter begins on 1 June and ends
    on 31 August.

"Winter" is a political construction and can be declared to start on different dates as appropriate.

Please, if you write something that looks like a quotation, make sure it is a quotation.

[cubicle67 → nreece]

Here's the quote now (same wikipedia page). Seems someone's edited it since your quote.

In many countries in the Southern Hemisphere, including Australia [3][4], New Zealand and South Africa, winter begins on 1 June and ends on 31 August.

[Edit: not sure what the disagreement is here, or why we're using wikipedia as an authority on when various countries mark seasons]

[Raphael]

Astrophysical winter, not political winter.