Winter solstice 2023: Things to know about the ‘shortest day of the year’

If you’re getting tired of early sunsets, take heart. The days will begin to get longer after the winter solstice on Thursday.

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The solstice, often called the “shortest day of the year,” marks the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It typically falls on Dec. 21 or 22 annually.

Here are some things to know about the day:

What is the winter solstice?

The winter solstice is the astronomical end of fall and start of winter. It happens when the sun is at its lowest position in the sky at solar noon, the moment the sun reaches its highest point overhead. In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, according to the National Weather Service.

What causes the winter solstice?

Day lengths change based on how far the Earth is tilting toward or away from the sun. On the winter solstice, the Earth’s axis is tilted as far away as possible from the sun, according to the National Parks Service.

“This means the sun is at its lowest point in the sky,” officials said. “The noontime sun doesn’t get quite as high and the day ‘feels’ darker.”

What time does it happen?

The winter solstice happens at 10:27 p.m. EST on Thursday, according to NASA.

Is it really the shortest day of the year?

The first day of winter is the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The day has the fewest hours of sunlight seen all year.

Afterward, days will begin to lengthen. The trend will continue until the summer solstice on June 20, 2024, when things will reverse and we will see the most hours of sunlight all year.