Winter solstice

Winter may just be getting started, but if you’re ready for more sunlight, you won’t have much longer to wait. Dec. 21 is the winter solstice: the shortest day and longest night of the year here in Earth’s northern hemisphere.

Starting Friday, the sun will be up for a few seconds longer each day, signaling the start of our slow but steady march toward spring. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Winter is just getting into high gear. Learn more about the solstice and why it’s not the coldest day of the year
What is the winter solstice, and why do we have it?
The winter solstice occurs at the moment the Earth's tilt away from the sun is at a maximum.

"Earth's axis is tilted 23.5 degrees relative to its orbit, and on December 21, Earth will be at the point in its orbit when the North Pole is tilted at its maximum away from the sun," Schneider told CBS News. "The effect of this in the Arctic (within 23.5 degrees of the North Pole) is completely in darkness as Earth spins that day."

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it's the day with the shortest amount of daylight — less than 12 hours — and our longest night of the year. However, that's not the case for everyone. While it's winter for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, people in the Southern Hemisphere experience it as their summer solstice with the longest stretch of daylight.