Today, 21 December 2025, is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere—the shortest day and longest night of the year. Here are 5 simple facts about it.
1. Shortest Day, Longest Night
The winter solstice is the day when we get the least daylight and the longest darkness in the whole year in the Northern Hemisphere. From tomorrow, the days will slowly start becoming longer again.
2. Exact Time of the Solstice
In 2025, the solstice happens on 21 December at about 3:03 pm UTC, which is around 8:33 pm in India (IST). It is a single exact moment when the Sun reaches its lowest point in our daytime sky.
3. Why It Happens
The Earth is tilted about 23.5° on its axis. On the winter solstice, the North Pole is tilted farthest away from the Sun, and the Sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere.
4. Start of Astronomical Winter
Even though it has already felt cold for weeks, astronomers treat the solstice as the official start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. This winter lasts until the March equinox in 2026.
5. Celebrated Around the World
Many cultures mark this day as a festival of light and new beginnings because it signals the “return” of longer days. People see it as a reminder that after the darkest night, more sunlight is on the way.
