Winter solstice to mark shortest day Dec 21
The winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere will occur on December 21, marking the start of astronomical winter, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to Gismeteo, on December 21 the Northern Hemisphere will experience the winter solstice - the shortest day and the longest night of the year. The astronomical event will take place at 15:03 UTC.
The duration of daylight, depending on the city and region, will range from 6 to 9.5 hours.
From this moment, astronomical winter officially begins and will last until the spring equinox on March 20, 2026. In the Southern Hemisphere, at the same time, summer begins, with the longest day of the year.
The solstice is caused by the tilt of Earth’s axis. In winter, the Northern Hemisphere receives less sunlight, which makes the days shorter. After December 21, daylight will gradually increase, though noticeable warming will come later.
It should be recalled that the longest day and the shortest night this year occurred on June 21, when astronomical summer began at 07:42 Astana time.
Earlier, it was reported that German engineer Michaela Benthaus, the first wheelchair user to fly on a suborbital space mission, participated in a flight by the American company Blue Origin.
