Winter Solstice 2025
Winter solstice, the official astronomical beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere, is almost here. It will happen on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at exactly 10:03AM EST. Regardless of where you live in the northern hemisphere the winter solstice happens at the exact same time for all of us! It occurs when the Earth’s northern hemisphere is tilted its farthest from the Sun placing the Sun directly over the Tropic of Capricorn. The Tropic of Capricorn is an imaginary circle of latitude about 23.5 degrees south of Earth’s equator. It’s the southernmost latitude where the Sun can appear directly overhead at noon and this only happens on the winter solstice. Winter solstice gives us the shortest day and longest night of the year and even though it marks the start of winter it also marks the start of our days growing longer.
Our ancient ancestors observed and studied the sky. These first astronomers knew the Sun’s path across the sky, the changing sunrise and sunset locations and the changes in daylight. They observed that these changes happened in a regular and predictable pattern throughout the year. At winter solstice the Sun appears at its lowest in the sky and its position above the horizon at noon seems to stay the same for several days before and after the solstice. It was this observation that gave us the word solstice, which comes from the Latin word solstitium meaning “sun stands still.”
We’ve been very much aware that our daylight hours have been growing shorter the closer to winter solstice we get. We also know that after the solstice they will begin to grow longer. However, not having our scientific understanding of the winter solstice, to our ancestors the dwindling daylight and threat of starvation with the coming winter months was very real and scary. They dealt with their fear that the Sun would be gone forever by holding various celebrations and rites to light up the darkness encouraging the Sun to return and bring new life. Some of our most cherished Christmas traditions grew out of these early solstice celebrations – lighting of the yule log, decorating with evergreens, Christmas lights, kissing under the mistletoe, giving of gifts and many more.
Watch the sunrise and take a morning walk on the 21st or an evening walk on the 20th or 21st. Take time to enjoy all that nature has to offer on this day, from its quiet beauty to all the critters scampering about and flying overhead. Who knows what all you will be treated to. On the 19th The Wilderness Center is celebrating this event with a Winter Solstice Night Hike, followed by a favorite seasonal planetarium show “Season of Light” and if the sky is clear, observing in TWC’s observatory with our Astronomy Club. Registration for this event is required and is limited to 25 people.