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winter solstice
Sign in to saveAlso known as hiemal solstice, hibernal solstice, midwinter
astronomical phenomenon that occurs in December in Northern Hemisphere and in June in Southern Hemisphere
The winter solstice is the day when your hemisphere is tilted farthest from the sun, resulting in the shortest day and longest night of the year. It occurs in December in the Northern Hemisphere and in June in the Southern Hemisphere, marking the astronomical beginning of winter.
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A view of Earth on the Northern hemisphere's winter solstice, with the North pole tilted furthest away from the Sun
The winter solstice, or hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, and when the Sun is at its lowest arc in the sky. In each polar region, there is continuous darkness or twilight around its winter solstice. The opposite event is the summer solstice, which happens at the same time in the opposite hemisphere.