Today, December 21, is Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the celestial event signifies the first day of winter, astronomically. Each day after the solstice, we get one minute more of sunlight. It doesn’t sound like much, but after just two ... Discover the significance of the shortest day of the year, also known as the winter solstice, and its varying dates in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Learn about cultural and historical aspects of this astronomical event. Learn when and where the shortest day of the year occurs, how long it lasts, and why it varies by latitude. See maps, tables, and charts of daytime and nighttime durations on different circles of latitude. This event marks the year's longest night and shortest day. Winter Solstice occurs, when one of the poles of the Earth is located far from the Sun. The longest nights occur around this time.
