The Winter Solstice is almost here. As we say goodbye to long evenings and bundle up for chillier nights, it’s a good time to remember that the shortest day of the year is just around the corner.
The longest day of 2024 fell on June 21, when the summer solstice occurred. The summer solstice happens when the Earth’s tilt brings the Northern Hemisphere closest to the sun, giving us the most daylight we see all year. If you were in the U.S., you could have enjoyed up to 14-16 hours of sunshine. It’s the perfect day to soak up every last bit of summer!
Fast forward six months, and the shortest day of the year will come on December 21, 2024—the Winter Solstice. On this day, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest from the sun, giving us the least amount of sunlight. Depending on where you live, daylight will be a brief affair, with some places seeing as little as 8 hours of sunlight or less.
Why does Winter Solstice happen?
The changes in day length happen because the Earth is tilted. The planet’s axis is tilted about 23.5 degrees, so as it orbits the sun, different places get different amounts of sunlight. In summer, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, giving us long days. In winter, it tilts away, making the days shorter.
According to Brittanica:
"The two solstices happen in June (20 or 21) and December (21 or 22). These are the days when the Sun’s path in the sky is the farthest north or south from the Equator."
What does the Winter Solstice mean for you?
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Some people look forward to pleasant evenings by the fire as daylight savings time ends. Others may lament the early sunsets and the startling rate at which daylight vanishes.
Whether it's the delight of a June day bathed in sunlight or the peaceful silence of a December evening when the shortest day serves as a reminder that winter is truly here.
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