The days have been getting noticeably shorter recently, which means the winter solstice is coming up.
On the shortest day of the year, the UK will get less than eight hours of daylight.
However, the good news is, after that, the days will start to get longer again.
So when is the shortest day of the year and when can we expect days to get brighter?
What is Winter Solstice 2023?
The winter solstice occurs each year when the North Pole is tilted farthest away from the Sun, and we get the fewest hours of sunlight, and therefore the shortest day of the year.
The winter solstice marks the start of the winter season. Meteorological winter begins on a different date, approximately three weeks prior to winter solstice, on December 1.
The winter solstice occurs once a year in each hemisphere, once in December for the northern hemisphere and once in June for the southern hemisphere.
While one hemisphere is experiencing its winter solstice, the other is experiencing its summer solstice.
When is the shortest day of the year in the UK?
This year, the solstice will happen on Friday, December 22, when Londoners will experience a mere seven hours and 50 minutes of daytime, with the Sun due to rise at 8.04am and set at 3.54pm.
Conversely, on the summer solstice, which usually falls on June 21, the opposite effect takes place and we get our longest day of the year.
Where is the best place to watch the sunrise and sunset on the solstice?
The summer solstice has always been associated with Stonehenge, but the winter solstice is also highly significant here as they say the stones were carefully aligned to frame the sunset on the shortest day of the year.
According to Jessica Trethowan of English Heritage, “Many people believe that the winter solstice always falls on December 21 but, because of a mismatch between the calendar and solar year, the December solstice is not fixed to a specific date.
“Based on advice from the druid and pagan communities whom we consult with, the date and time chosen to mark solstice at Stonehenge is at the first sunrise following the astronomical event. This is also when the days begin to get longer again.”
To celebrate the solstice at Stonehenge visit the website for further information.
The winter solstice is also a significant event at Newgrange in Ireland, with a lucky few allowed inside its hallowed chambers to witness the sunrise – when the light is perfectly aligned to illuminate the rich interiors of the 5,000-year-old burial ground. However, the solstice here is usually celebrated across a number of days.
