Get ready for the shortest day and longest night of the year as winter solstice arrives this week.
The winter solstice signals the start of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere while the Southern Hemisphere experiences the summer solstice and the start of the summer.
Here’s what you kneed to know about the winter solstice.
When is winter solstice?
The winter solstice will occur on Sunday, December 21, 2025 at 10:03 a.m. EST.
What is winter solstice?
The winter solstice happens because of Earth's tilt toward the sun. During the winter solstice, a hemisphere is tilted farthest away from the sun, receiving the least sunlight.
The solstice itself lasts only a moment, occurring at the exact time the hemisphere is most tilted away from the sun.
What does solstice mean?
The word “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stop), forming solstitium. In other words, “solstice” literally means “sun stands still.”
When will winter end?
Winter officially ends the day before the spring equinox which is also the start of the spring.
In 2026, the spring equinox will be on Friday, March 20 and winter will end on Thursday, March 19.
Observing tips
To fully experience the winter solstice, you should observe the sun during the day to see how low it is and how early it sets.
The winter solstice sky is most exciting at night. After sunset, you can see Jupiter and the bright star Sirius in the southeast along with Orion.
Additionally, the Ursid meteor shower will peak overnight on December 21–22, producing about 5–10 shooting stars.
You can use a sunrise and sunset calculator to know the exact times for your location.
