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December solstice 2025: 21 Dec

The December solstice is also known as the "summer solstice" in the southern hemisphere.

It is the winter solstice only in the northern hemisphere.

What happens at the solstice?

The North Pole is tilted furthest away from the sun at the solstice. (Illustration not to scale)

The December solstice occurs when the sun reaches its most southerly declination of -23.5 degrees. In other words, it is when the North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun. Depending on the Gregorian calendar, the December solstice occurs annually on a day between December 20 and December 23. On this date, all places above a latitude of 66.5 degrees north (Arctic Polar Circle) are now in darkness, while locations below a latitude of 66.5 degrees south (Antarctic Polar Circle) receive 24 hours of daylight.

Use the Sunrise and Sunset calculator to find the number of daylight hours during the December solstice in cities worldwide.

The sun is directly overhead on the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere during the December solstice. It also marks the longest day of the year in terms of daylight hours for those living south of the equator. Those living or travelling south from the Antarctic Circle towards the South Pole will see the midnight sun during this time of the year.

On the contrary, for an observer in the northern hemisphere, the December solstice marks the day of the year with the least hours of daylight. Those living or traveling north of the Arctic Circle towards the North Pole will not be able to see the sun during this time of the year.

The December solstice in the calendar

December 20 and December 23 solstices occur less frequently than December 21 or December 22 solstices in the Gregorian calendar. The last December 23 solstice occurred in 1903 and will not occur again until the year 2303. A December 20 solstice has occurred very rarely, with the next one occurring in the year 2080.(*)

As with the June solstice, the December solstice’s varying dates are mainly due to the calendar system. The Gregorian calendar, which is used in most western countries, has 365 days in a common year and 366 days in a leap year. However, the tropical year, which is the length of time the sun takes to return to the same position in the seasons cycle (as seen from Earth), is different to the calendar year. The tropical year is approximately 365.242199 days but varies from year to year because of the influence of other planets. The exact orbital and daily rotational motion of the Earth, such as the “wobble” in the Earth's axis (precession), also contributes to the changing solstice dates.

Over the course of history, many different schemes have been devised to determine the start of the year. Some are astronomical, beginning at the September or March equinox, or at the June or December solstice. Solstices are more readily observable either by observing when the midday shadow of a gnomon is longest (winter solstice in the northern hemisphere) or shortest (summer solstice in the northern hemisphere). The solstices can also be observed by noting the point of time when the sun rises or sets as far south as it does during the course of the year (winter in the northern hemisphere) or maximally north (summer in the northern hemisphere).

(*) All dates refer to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Dates may vary depending on the time zone.

December solstice in relation to seasons

It is important to note that Earth does not move at a constant speed in its elliptical orbit. Therefore the seasons are not of equal length: the times taken for the sun to move from the vernal equinox to the summer solstice, to the autumnal equinox, to the winter solstice, and back to the vernal equinox are roughly 92.8, 93.6, 89.8 and 89.0 days respectively. The consolation in the northern hemisphere is that spring and summer last longer than autumn and winter (when the December solstice occurs).

The relative position of the Earth's axis to the sun changes during the cycle of seasons. This phenomenon is the reason why the sun’s height above the horizon changes throughout the year. It is also responsible for the seasons through controlling the intensity and duration of sunlight received at various locations around the planet.

Solstice’s influence on cultures

The December solstice has played an important role the lives of many people in ancient times. To this day, the world is still influenced by various traditions linked to the observance of the December solstice.

10 Things About December Solstice

In most time zones, December 21, 2018 is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Here are 10 things about the December Solstice you might not know:

1. Both Winter and Summer Solstice

The December Solstice is the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and is the Summer Solstice in the Southern Hemispshere, where it marks the longest day of the year in terms of sunlight. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is the shortest day of the year in terms of sunlight.

2. Second Solstice of the Year

Solstices happen twice a year - once around June 21 and then again around December 21. On the June Solstice, the Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere, while on the December Solstice, the Sun shines directly over the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere.

3. It Happens at a Specific Time

Most people celebrate the whole day as the December Solstice. In reality, however, the Solstice occurs at a specific time - when the Sun is exactly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn. In 2015, this will happen on December 22, at 04:48 UTC. For locations that are at least 5 hours behind UTC, this event will occur on December 21. This is because of the Time Zone difference.

Solstices in your local time

4. The Solstice's Date Varies

The December Solstice can happen on December 20, 21, 22 or 23, though December 20 or 23 solstices are rare. The last December 23 solstice was in 1903 and will not happen again until 2303.

5. The Sun Stands Still

The term solstice comes from the Latin word solstitium, meaning 'the Sun stands still'. This is because on this day, the Sun reaches its southern-most position as seen from the Earth (or northern-most during the June Solstice). The Sun seems to stand still at the Tropic of Capricorn (Tropic of Cancer during the June Solstice) and then reverses its direction. It's also common to call it the day the Sun turns around.

6. It's the First Day of Astronomical Winter

In the Northern Hemisphere, astronomers and scientists use the December Solstice as the start of the winter season, which ends on the March Equinox. For meteorologists, on the other hand, winter began three weeks ago on December 1.

How are seasons defined?

7. The Earth isn't Farthest From the Sun

During the Northern Hemisphere winter the Earth actually makes its closest approach to the Sun. Seasons have little to do with the Earth's distance to the Sun, but with how it spins around its own axis. As the earth revolves around the sun, it also rotates around its axis, which is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees.

The direction of the tilt of the earth does not change as the Earth moves around the Sun - the two hemispheres point towards the same position in space at all times. What changes as the Earth orbits around the Sun is the position of the hemispheres in relation to the Sun - the Northern Hemisphere faces away from the Sun during the December Solstice, while the Southern Hemisphere tilts towards the Sun. The opposite happens around the June Solstice, when the Southern Hemisphere faces away from the Sun during the December Solstice, while the Northern Hemisphere tilts towards the Sun. This is why people in the Northern Hemisphere experience winter around December Solstice and summer during the June Solstice.

In fact, the Earth is on its Perihelion - the point on the Earth's orbit closest to the Sun - a few weeks after the December Solstice.

Is this timing a coincidence?

8. Earliest Sunset Does Not Happen on This Day

Most places in the Northern Hemisphere see their earliest sunset a few days before the Solstice and their latest sunrise a few days after the Solstice. This happens because of the difference between how we measure time using watches and the time measured by a sundial.

Why isn't the Year's Earliest Sunset on the Winter Solstice?

9. Daylight Hours Increase Faster at Northern Latitudes

If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, the increase rate of daylight hours depends on your location's latitude - in more northern latitudes you will see a rapid increase in daylight hours compared to if you're in the more southern latitudes.

Sunrise and sunset times in your city

10. It's Celebrated Around the World

Many cultures around the world hold feasts and celebrate festivals and holidays to celebrate the December Solstice.

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