Seasonal time
December solstice
The Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky. It marks winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
Where it matters
The view is local.
The moment is shared.
It is a global astronomical moment, but its practical effect is strongly local: daylight is shortest in the north and longest in the south.
U.S. Naval Observatory: Earth’s seasons, 2026 ↗In your browser’s time zone
Monday, December 21, 2026 at 8:50 PM
Europe/London
This is an instant, not the whole shortest day. Use the Sun and Moon tool above to see your actual local daylight length.
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