Winter solstice 2026: the shortest day of the year
The winter solstice is the December solstice, the moment the sun reaches its lowest, southernmost point in the sky. It is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
In 170 days, on Monday, 21 December 2026.
Winter solstice dates
| Event | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| December solstice 2026 | Monday, 21 December 2026 | 20:50 UTC |
| December solstice 2027 | Wednesday, 22 December 2027 | 02:42 UTC |
Times are shown in UTC. Your local date can differ by a day depending on your time zone.
At the December solstice the Earth’s northern axis is tilted furthest away from the sun. The sun traces its shortest, lowest arc across the sky, so the Northern Hemisphere gets its least daylight and longest night of the year.
In the Southern Hemisphere the same moment is the summer solstice, the longest day. Above the Arctic Circle the sun does not rise at all around the December solstice, while inside the Antarctic Circle it never sets.
After the winter solstice the days slowly lengthen again. The solstice is a single instant and drifts by a few hours each year, so the date moves between 20 and 23 December. You can watch day length bottom out around it on the interactive map.
Frequently asked questions
When is the winter solstice?▼
The December solstice falls on 20, 21, 22, or 23 December each year. The exact date and time drift slightly from year to year. The table above lists the precise UTC moments.
Why is the winter solstice the shortest day?▼
At the December solstice the Northern Hemisphere is tilted furthest from the sun, so the sun rises latest, sets earliest, and stays lowest. That gives the fewest hours of daylight of any day in the year.
Does the earliest sunset happen on the winter solstice?▼
No. The earliest sunset falls a couple of weeks before the December solstice and the latest sunrise a couple of weeks after it. The solstice itself is simply the day with the least total daylight.
Do the days get longer after the winter solstice?▼
Yes. The winter solstice is the turning point. From that day on, the Northern Hemisphere gains a little daylight each day until the June solstice.