Winter Solstice 2024: When will you experience the darkest day of the year?

Winter solstice 2024 marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. It's a signal to celebrate seasonal change. When will we witness the solstice and what will change? Here's all you need about Winter solstice 2024.

Winter solstice 2024: When to witness?

In 2024, the Winter solstice will fall at 9:21 UTC on December 21 (3:21 am CST). Meanwhile, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said it is expected by 4:20 am EST. In India, this is around 2:30 pm on December 21.

What will change?

This solstice marks long nights and short days for the Northern Hemisphere (winter); and short nights and long days for those in south of the equator (summer).

The December solstice marks the sun’s southernmost point in the sky, for all of Earth, for this year. In the Northern Hemisphere, people will celebrate the first day of winter at this solstice. For them, it heralds the longest nights and shortest days of our year.

Meanwhile, people in the Southern Hemisphere will celebrate the first day of summer at this solstice. For them it marks the shortest nights and longest days.

All about Solstices

Solstices come twice a year.

For the Northern Hemisphere, the summer (June) solstice occurs around June 20-21, and the winter (December) solstice happens around Dec. 21-22.

At the solstice, the Sun’s path appears farthest north or south, depending on which half of the planet you’re on. Seasons change on Earth because the planet is slightly tilted on its axis as it travels around the Sun.

According to NASA, although the tilt of the Earth as compared to the plane of its orbit around the Sun is more or less constant (23.5˚), at the December solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives the most indirect sunlight, causing cooler temperatures.

Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere receives the most direct sunlight, causing warmer temperatures, so it is summer there.

At the June solstice, this effect reverses and the Northern Hemisphere receives the most direct sunlight, causing warmer temperatures, and the Southern Hemisphere receives the most indirect sunlight, causing cooler temperatures.