When is the winter solstice?

EVERY year the longest and shortest days are marked by a solstice when people celebrate the astronomical phenomenon by watching the sun rise.
But when is the winter solstice
and what does it all mean? We've got the lowdown...

The winter solstice is on December 21 and is the "shortest" day of the year and marks the start of the winter period.

This is because the tilt of the Earth’s axis is least aligned with the sun, providing us with the least daylight of the year.

After December 21, the nights will begin to get shorter as our planet rotates towards the sun.

The date where Earth is the nearest to the star is marked by the summer solstice.

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What time is sunset on the shortest day of the year?
On the shortest day of the year, the sun is due to set VERY early, sinking below the horizon in the UK at around 3:54pm depending on your exact location.

Every year in December visitors from around the world flock to Stonehenge to mark the winter solstice.

Early in the morning on December 21, astronomical phenomenon is celebrated by visitors who gather to see the sunrise above the stones.

The sunrise on the day is at 8.04am.

The organisers of the event write on their website: "The Winter Solstice is the most important day of the year at Stonehenge and a truly magical time to be there.

"It's an ad hoc celebration that brings together England's New Age Tribes (neo-druids, neo-pagans, Wiccans) with ordinary families, tourists, travelers and party people - 100's of them!"