On December 21, 2025, residents of the Northern Hemisphere will witness a unique astronomical event—the winter solstice. On this day, the sun rises to its lowest point above the horizon, and daylight hours reach their annual minimum. For many, this is more than just a date on the calendar; it marks a symbolic turning point when winter officially begins, paving the way for the gradual return of light and warmth.
At noon, the sun is positioned directly above the southern tropic—the Tropic of Capricorn, located at 23.5 degrees south of the equator. At this moment, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted furthest away from the sun, resulting in the shortest day and longest night of the year. In 2025, the exact time of the solstice is 10:03 a.m. Eastern Time (15:03 GMT). This instant marks the beginning of astronomical winter.
Astronomy and climate
The sun moves low across the sky, and its rays strike at a sharp angle, spreading over a larger surface area. As a result, energy is distributed less efficiently, and the air warms up less than in summer. It is the angle of the sun’s rays—rather than the distance from the star—that determines the cold months of the year. Despite the common belief that Earth is farther from the Sun in winter, in reality, it reaches its closest point to the Sun, called perihelion, in early January.
During this period, the distance between our planet and the Sun is about 147.1 million kilometers, which is slightly less than the average. However, this has little effect on air temperature, as the tilt of the Earth’s axis remains the decisive factor. When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, days become shorter, nights longer, and only with the solstice does this process begin to reverse.
Changing Seasons
Earth rotates on its axis, which is tilted at 23.5 degrees, and it is this tilt that causes the change in seasons. As the planet moves along its orbit, different regions receive varying amounts of sunlight. In summer, the Northern Hemisphere faces the Sun; in winter, it is tilted away. While people in Europe, Russia, the US, and Canada experience the shortest day of the year, today marks the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere—there, it’s currently the longest day.
The solstice is not only an astronomical event, but also a cultural milestone. In many countries, this day is celebrated as a festival of light, symbolizing renewal and hope for the swift return of spring. Starting tomorrow, daylight hours will slowly begin to increase, and nights will shorten, offering many a sense of optimism at the height of winter.
Traditions and Symbolism
In many cultures, the winter solstice is associated with rituals and traditions dedicated to the rebirth of light. In Scandinavia, for example, people celebrate Yule, while in Eastern European countries, the festivity is known as Kolyada. These holidays are rich in symbolism, representing the victory of light over darkness, as from this moment the days begin to grow longer. Even in the modern world, people continue to mark this day by lighting candles and holding family dinners to welcome the return of the sun.
Astronomers point out that the solstice is not just a date on the calendar, but an important event in the planet’s annual cycle. From each day after December 21, the sun rises a little higher and daylight hours gradually increase. This change becomes noticeable within just a few days, especially in northern latitudes, where the difference is most pronounced.
Scientific facts
The winter solstice is the result of the complex interplay between the tilt of Earth’s axis and the planet’s orbital motion. If Earth were not tilted, there would be no change of seasons at all. It is precisely thanks to this tilt that we experience the cycle of winter and summer, as well as phenomena like polar night and polar day beyond the Arctic Circle.
In 2025, the solstice occurs according to the usual schedule, though there may be slight calendar shifts due to the leap year. Astronomers and nature enthusiasts around the world observe this event, marking it as the beginning of a new phase in Earth’s annual cycle.
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