The Winter Solstice: The Shortest Day of the Year

The winter solstice marks the beginning of winter. In the Northern Hemisphere it is the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

Why it happens

The solstices occur when the Earth's tilt toward or away from the sun is at its greatest. At the winter solstice, the Earth's axis is tilted as far from the sun as it gets, so the sun is at its lowest point in the sky. The noontime sun does not climb as high, and the day feels darker; you may have noticed that the sun's rays feel weaker in winter. At the summer solstice, the Earth is tilted toward the sun, which reaches its highest point in the sky, giving the longest day of the year.

The seasons in the Earth's orbit. National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

People living on or very near the equator see little change: their daylight stays within a few minutes of 12 hours all year.

Traditionally the solstices help mark the changing seasons, and many cultures treat the winter solstice as a time of rebirth and celebration.

Make the most of the day

• Explore winter landscapes of every kind.
• Take a walk and notice the first signs of winter, following winter hiking safety tips.
• Take a drive and soak up the sun through the car windows, following winter driving safety tips.
• Visit a favorite national park and notice how the low light falls on the landscape. Some parks hold winter solstice programs, day and night.

Visitors on a snowy walk in Denali National Park. National Park Service.

Enjoy the night

The long night is a fine time to look up at the stars, whether in a park or at home. As you enjoy it, take in the quiet of nature and the stars overhead, and the promise of more daylight each day until the summer solstice in June.

Sources

• National Park Service, "I Didn't Know That!: Winter Solstice." https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/idkt_wintersolstice.htm
• NPS, "Winter Solstice": https://www.nps.gov/subjects/naturalphenomena/winter-solstice.htm; "Exploring Night Skies": https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nightskies/explore.htm; winter hiking tips: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/winterhikingtips.htm; winter driving safety: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/healthandsafety/winterdrivingsafety.htm
• A time-lapse photograph credited to an individual photographer and the page's promotional graphics are not reproduced here.