Everything That You Need to Know About the Upcoming Winter Solstice

The shortest day of the year is right around the corner. Read on for all that you need to know about the upcoming winter solstice event.

Understanding the Science Behind the Winter Solstice

This year's winter solstice will happen on Sunday, December 21, at 10:03 am EST. This is the precise moment in which the Northern Hemisphere is tilted the farthest away from the sun, marking the shortest day and the longest night of the year. The winter solstice is also the official start of the astronomical winter.

Note that this date differs from the beginning of the meteorological winter, a moment that always happens on December 1. Unlike the start of the meteorological winter, which is a constant date that does not change, the official beginning of the astronomical winter can differ by a day or two. This is because the date is dependent on when the Earth makes one full rotation around the sun. This also explains why there is a leap year every four years.