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Winter solstice

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Winter solstice

The winter solstice, or 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). For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, and when the Sun is at its lowest arc in the sky. In each polar region, there is continuous darkness or twilight around its winter solstice. The opposite event is the summer solstice, which happens at the same time in the opposite hemisphere. The winter solstice occurs during the hemisphere's winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the December solstice (December 21 or 22) and in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice (June 20 or 21). Although the winter solstice itself lasts only a moment, the term also refers to the day on which it occurs. Traditionally, in many temperate regions, the winter solstice is seen as the middle of winter, and "midwinter" is another name for the winter solstice, although it carries other meanings as well. Other names are the "extreme of winter", the "shortest day" and the "longest night". Since prehistory, the winter solstice has been a significant time of year in many cultures and has been marked by festivals and rites. This is because it is the point when the shortening of daylight hours is reversed and the daytime begins to lengthen again. In parts of Europe it was seen as the symbolic death and rebirth of the Sun. Some ancient monuments such as Newgrange, Stonehenge, and Cahokia Woodhenge are aligned with the sunrise or sunset on the winter solstice.

Infobox

Also called
Midwinter; the Shortest Day; the Longest Night
Observed by
Various cultures
Type
Cultural, astronomical
Significance
Beginning of lengthening days and shortening nights
Celebrations
Feasting
Date
December 21 or December 22 (Northern Hemisphere) and June 20 or June 21 (Southern Hemisphere)
Related to
Winter festivals

Tables

UT date and time of equinoxes and solstices on Earth[44][45] · Observation
month
month
event
month
equinox
March
equinox
June
solstice
September
solstice
December
year
year
event
year
equinox
day
equinox
time
solstice
day
solstice
time
equinox
day
equinox
time
solstice
day
solstice
time
2020
2020
event
2020
equinox
20
equinox
03:50
solstice
20
solstice
21:43
equinox
22
equinox
13:31
solstice
21
solstice
10:03
2021
2021
event
2021
equinox
20
equinox
09:37
solstice
21
solstice
03:32
equinox
22
equinox
19:21
solstice
21
solstice
15:59
2022
2022
event
2022
equinox
20
equinox
15:33
solstice
21
solstice
09:14
equinox
23
equinox
01:04
solstice
21
solstice
21:48
2023
2023
event
2023
equinox
20
equinox
21:25
solstice
21
solstice
14:58
equinox
23
equinox
06:50
solstice
22
solstice
03:28
2024
2024
event
2024
equinox
20
equinox
03:07
solstice
20
solstice
20:51
equinox
22
equinox
12:44
solstice
21
solstice
09:20
2025
2025
event
2025
equinox
20
equinox
09:01
solstice
21
solstice
02:42
equinox
22
equinox
18:19
solstice
21
solstice
15:03
2026
2026
event
2026
equinox
20
equinox
14:46
solstice
21
solstice
08:25
equinox
23
equinox
00:06
solstice
21
solstice
20:50
2027
2027
event
2027
equinox
20
equinox
20:25
solstice
21
solstice
14:11
equinox
23
equinox
06:02
solstice
22
solstice
02:43
2028
2028
event
2028
equinox
20
equinox
02:17
solstice
20
solstice
20:02
equinox
22
equinox
11:45
solstice
21
solstice
08:20
2029
2029
event
2029
equinox
20
equinox
08:01
solstice
21
solstice
01:48
equinox
22
equinox
17:37
solstice
21
solstice
14:14
2030
2030
event
2030
equinox
20
equinox
13:51
solstice
21
solstice
07:31
equinox
22
equinox
23:27
solstice
21
solstice
20:09
event
equinox
solstice
equinox
solstice
month
March
June
September
December
year
day
time
day
time
day
time
day
time
2020
20
03:50
20
21:43
22
13:31
21
10:03
2021
20
09:37
21
03:32
22
19:21
21
15:59
2022
20
15:33
21
09:14
23
01:04
21
21:48
2023
20
21:25
21
14:58
23
06:50
22
03:28
2024
20
03:07
20
20:51
22
12:44
21
09:20
2025
20
09:01
21
02:42
22
18:19
21
15:03
2026
20
14:46
21
08:25
23
00:06
21
20:50
2027
20
20:25
21
14:11
23
06:02
22
02:43
2028
20
02:17
20
20:02
22
11:45
21
08:20
2029
20
08:01
21
01:48
22
17:37
21
14:14
2030
20
13:51
21
07:31
22
23:27
21
20:09

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