Winter Solstice 2024: What is the shortest day of the year and why does it happen?

Winter Solstice 2024 is the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. The day celebrates the change in season.

Here's all you need about Winter solstice 2024.

Winter solstice 2024: When to witness?

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) winter Solstice said it is expected by 4:20 am EST. In India, this is around 2:30 pm on December 21.

What will change?

The solstice marks longer nights and shorter days in the Northern Hemisphere (winter); and shorter nights and longer days for those in south of the equator (summer).

Winter Solstice, also known as the December Solstice marks the sun’s southernmost point in the sky, for all of Earth, for this year.

In the Northern Hemisphere, people will celebrate the first day of winter at this solstice. For them, it heralds the longest nights and shortest days of our year.


Meanwhile, people in the Southern Hemisphere will celebrate the first day of summer at this solstice. For them it marks the shortest nights and longest days.

All about Solstices

Solstices come twice a year. For the Northern Hemisphere, the summer (June) solstice is observed around June 20-21, and the winter (December) solstice happens around December 21-22.

At the solstice, the Sun’s path appears farthest north or south, depending on which half of the planet you’re on. Seasons change on Earth because the planet is slightly tilted on its axis as it travels around the Sun.

According to NASA, although the tilt of the Earth as compared to the plane of its orbit around the Sun is almost always constant (23.5˚), at the December solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives the most indirect sunlight, causing cooler temperatures.

Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere receives the most direct sunlight, causing warmer temperatures, so it is summer there.

At the June solstice, this effect reverses and the Northern Hemisphere receives the most direct sunlight, causing warmer temperatures, and the Southern Hemisphere receives the most indirect sunlight, causing cooler temperatures.