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Space and Astronomy

What You Need to Know About the Upcoming Winter Solstice

Alexis Thornton

5 days ago
Golden sunset light illuminates the arches of the Seventeen Arch Bridge at the Summer Palace in Beijing, a phenomenon that occurs near the winter solstice when the sun sits low on the horizon. The glowing arches draw large crowds each year. (Adobe Stock)

The winter solstice is upon us. When can you expect the shortest day of the year and what does the solstice technically mean? Read on for all of the details.

Understanding the Science of the Winter Solstice

The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year and the official beginning of astronomical winter. In 2025, the winter solstice will occur in the Northern Hemisphere on Sunday, December 21 at 10:03 a.m. EST. This is separate from the start of meteorological winter, which always begins on December 1 for weather tracking and climate record keeping.

A seasonal diagram shows how Earth tilts away from the sun during the December solstice. This alignment creates the shortest day and longest night in the Northern Hemisphere while the Southern Hemisphere receives its strongest summer sunlight. (Adobe)

Along with being the shortest day, the winter solstice produces the longest night of the entire year. After this point, daylight gradually increases as the sun climbs higher in the sky each day.

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winter solsticeshortest day of the yeardecember 21start of the astronomical winterancient timeswinter solstice 2024astronomical eventsearth’s tiltseasonal sciencedecember weathersunlight patternscultural traditionsancient astronomywinter seasoneducational

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