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The winter solstice marks the start of winter. When is the solstice 2024 & 2025, and what is a winter solstice? When does winter start in both hemispheres?
The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern).
The winter solstice is the day of the year with the fewest hours of daylight. In the northern hemisphere this date falls in December every year. In 2024 the winter solstice will occur on Saturday 21 December. Learn more about the astronomy behind the solstice with Royal Observatory Greenwich.
- The magic moment. While many focus on the winter solstice as a day in the calendar, what we are actually talking about is a very specific moment which is over almost as soon as it has begun.
- The Sun stands still. Like many other astronomical terms, the word solstice comes from Latin. Owing to the Sun appearing to 'standstill' in the sky when it reaches the Tropic of Capricorn, the word solstitium was used which in turn is composed of the words sol (meaning 'sun') and sistere (meaning to 'standstill').
- Winter begins. As well as marking the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice marks the first day of winter in the astronomical calendar, whilst in the meteorological calendar, we are already three weeks into winter.
- Nine hours darker. You're probably aware that the day of the winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year, but did you know that its almost nine hours shorter than the longest day of the year?
Sep 21, 2017 · Learn about the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year, and how different cultures have marked this occasion with feasts, rituals and symbols. Explore the ancient and modern ways of celebrating the winter solstice in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Learn about the December solstice, when the Sun is directly above the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere and marks the longest day of the year there. Find out why the solstice date varies, how it affects seasons and sunrise/sunset times, and what it means for calendars.
Winter Solstice 2024
- Saturday, 21 December (in 49 days)
- Saturday, 21 December
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Jan 17, 2024 · The Winter Solstice, or the December Solstice, is the point at which the path of the sun in the sky is farthest south. At the Winter Solstice, the sun travels the...
