Winter Solstice 2026 in the Southern Hemisphere: The Shortest Day of the Year
Winter is just around the corner in the Southern Hemisphere! In 2026, it falls on June 21 at 08:25 GMT/UTC – that’s 06:25 PM AEST in Sydney, 05:55 PM ACST in Adelaide, 04:25 PM AWST in Perth, and 08:25 PM NZST in New Zealand.
Want to know the precise solstice time and day length for where you live? You can check it in the Sky Tonight app. Now let’s see how the winter solstice shapes the seasons – and how people around the world celebrate it.
Contents
- Upcoming Winter Solstice 2026 (Southern Hemisphere): Quick Facts
- When is the winter solstice 2026?
- What is the winter solstice?
- What is the December solstice?
- Solstice meaning
- How long is winter?
- Winter solstice traditions
Winter solstice: FAQ
- When is the next winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere?
- When is the next winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere?
- When is the next winter solstice in Australia?
- When is the first day of winter 2026?
- Why isn’t the shortest day the coldest day?
- When is the winter equinox?
- How to celebrate the winter solstice?
- How does the winter solstice affect pets?
- Winter solstice 2026: key facts
Upcoming Winter Solstice 2026 (Southern Hemisphere): Quick Facts
- Date: June 21, 2026
- Exact time: 08:25 GMT/UTC (04:25 AM EDT / 04:25 PM AWST / 05:55 PM ACST / 06:25 PM AEST / 08:25 PM NZST).
- What it marks: The astronomical first day of winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
- What is the winter solstice: a moment when one of the Earth’s hemispheres is tilted the farthest from the Sun and receives the least daylight.
When is the winter solstice 2026?
Southern Hemisphere: The winter solstice occurs on June 21, 2026, at 08:25 GMT (4:25 AM EDT).
Northern Hemisphere: The winter solstice occurs on December 21, 2026, at 20:50 GMT (3:50 PM EST).
Don’t forget to convert this time to your local time zone. You can use a website like World Time Buddy or Dateful. Another option is to use the stargazing app Sky Tonight. Open the app, tap the magnifier icon, and type “Solstice” in the search bar. Choose the corresponding result, and in the window that opens, you’ll see the exact time in your local time zone.
Winter solstice dates (2026-2030)
In the Southern Hemisphere, the winter solstice most often falls on June 20 or 21. It can also rarely occur on June 22; the next June 22 winter solstice will happen in 2203.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice usually falls on December 21 or 22, though it can rarely occur on December 20 or 23. The next December 20 winter solstice will happen in 2080, and the next December 23 one in 2303.
Keep in mind that the exact calendar date may vary depending on your local time zone.
Southern Hemisphere
- 2026: June 21, 08:25 GMT (04:25 AM EDT; 06:25 PM AEST)
- 2027: June 21, 14:11 GMT (10:11 AM EDT; June 22, 12:11 AM AEST)
- 2028: June 20, 20:02 GMT (04:02 PM EDT; June 21, 06:02 AM AEST)
- 2029: June 21, 01:48 GMT (June 20, 09:48 PM EDT; June 21, 11:48 AM AEST)
- 2030: June 21, 07:31 GMT (03:31 AM EDT; 05:31 PM AEST)
Northern Hemisphere
- 2026: December 21, 20:50 GMT (03:50 PM EST)
- 2027: December 22, 02:43 GMT (09:43 PM EST)
- 2028: December 21, 08:20 GMT (03:20 AM EST)
- 2029: December 21, 14:14 GMT (09:14 AM EST)
- 2030: December 21, 20:09 GMT (03:09 PM EST)
When is the first day of winter?
According to the meteorological approach, winter starts on December 1 in the Northern Hemisphere and on June 1 in the Southern Hemisphere.
According to the astronomical approach, winter begins on the day of the winter solstice, which usually happens on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and on June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.
What is the winter solstice?
The winter solstice is a moment when one of the Earth’s hemispheres reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. As a result, this hemisphere receives the least daylight and experiences the shortest day of the year. On the winter solstice, the Sun’s path in the sky is farthest south in the Northern Hemisphere and farthest north in the Southern Hemisphere.
Solstices occur because our planet’s axis is tilted 23.5 degrees. If the Earth had no inclination, the Sun would shine directly on the equator all year long. This would leave us without solstices and seasons. Watch this video to get a visual explanation of how the Earth’s tilt works.
Luckily, our planet (as well as all other planets in the Solar System) is inclined, so we experience seasons. The winter solstice is one of the transition points between them, along with the summer solstice, spring, and autumn equinoxes. As the name implies, the winter solstice marks the beginning of winter. And if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you might associate the winter solstice with December. You're not wrong, but it might cause a bit of confusion between you and those living in the southern latitudes.
What is the December solstice?
The December solstice is a solstice that occurs each December. In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s generally known as the winter solstice, which marks the shortest day of the year. Whereas in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the summer solstice that brings the most daylight.
Solstices have been observed since ancient times. Our ancestors used the phrases "winter solstice" and "summer solstice" long before they knew the other hemisphere existed. They didn't think that their winter could be the summer season somewhere else.
People living in the Northern Hemisphere (most of Earth’s population) often use the phrase “December solstice” as a synonym for “winter solstice,” overlooking the Southern Hemisphere.
Astronomers prefer to say “December solstice” and “June solstice” to avoid seasonal references. But “winter solstice” and “summer solstice” have already taken too much root in the cultures, sometimes leading to misunderstanding.
Solstice meaning
The word “solstice” comes from the Latin words “sol”, meaning “Sun,” and “stit”, meaning “to stand still,” so it literally means “the Sun stands still.” Around the solstices, the apparent Sun’s path across the sky appears to “freeze.”
For example, if you take a picture of the Sun at the same time, a few days before and after a solstice, you'll see that it stays in roughly the same place. Meanwhile, around the equinoxes, its apparent path varies considerably from day to day.
You can see these changes for yourself on an analemma – a solar curve that resembles an elongated figure eight. It shows the position of the Sun in the sky at a single location and time of day throughout the year. Learn more about analemmas and how to easily make them in just a few taps from our dedicated article.
How long is winter?
The seasons on Earth have different lengths. Here is their average duration:
- March equinox to June solstice: 92.8 days
- June solstice to September equinox: 93.6 days
- September equinox to December solstice: 89.8 days
- December solstice to March equinox: 89.0 days
The reason for the different lengths of the seasons is the Earth's elliptical orbit. Our planet moves around the Sun at different speeds – fastest around perihelion (closest point to the Sun) in January and slowest around aphelion (farthest from the Sun) in June. On average, winter lasts 89.0 days in the Northern Hemisphere and 93.6 days in the Southern Hemisphere.
How long is the shortest day of the year 2026 (Southern Hemisphere)
Let’s compare daylight on the two solstices in 2026. The first number is the day length on the summer solstice (December 21, 2026) – the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. The second number is the day length on the winter solstice (June 21, 2026) – the shortest day.
- Sydney, Australia: 14 h 24 m ⇒ 9 h 54 m
- Ushuaia, Argentina: 17 h 20 m ⇒ 7 h 12 m
- Cape Town, South Africa: 14 h 25 m ⇒ 9 h 53 m
- Wellington, New Zealand: 15 h 09 m ⇒ 9 h 11 m
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 13 h 33 m ⇒ 10 h 43 m
If you want to check the day length for your location, open the Sky Tonight app, tap the calendar icon on the main screen, and go to the Sky tab. Under the graph, you’ll find the Day Length (highlighted in yellow) for your location.
By the way, you can notice that the shortest day of the year doesn’t feature the earliest sunset. The reasons are the tilt of the Earth’s axis and the Earth’s elliptical orbit.
How long is the shortest day of the year 2026 (Northern Hemisphere)
Let’s compare daylight on the two solstices in 2026. The first number is the day length on the summer solstice (June 21, 2026) – the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The second number is the day length on the winter solstice (December 21, 2026) – the shortest day.
- New York, USA: 15 h 06 m ⇒ 9 h 15 m
- Ottawa, Canada: 15 h 40 m ⇒ 8 h 42 m
- London, UK: 16 h 38 m ⇒ 7 h 49 m
- Mexico City, Mexico: 13 h 18 m ⇒ 10 h 57 m
- Madrid, Spain: 15 h 03 m ⇒ 9 h 17 m
Winter solstice traditions
Inca’s religious ceremony: Inti Raymi
- Where: Inca Empire
- When: June 24
- Observed by: Incas
Inti Raymi was a traditional religious ceremony honoring the god Inti, celebrating the winter solstice and the Inca New Year. The celebration lasted nine days and featured music, dances, colorful clothing, the Aya Huma mask, and animal sacrifices.
Christian feast day: St. Lucia’s Day
- Where: Scandinavia and Italy
- When: December 13 (the solstice by the old calendar)
- Observed by: Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Anglicans
St. Lucia’s Day (as the name implies) is a celebration to honor St. Lucia, a Christian martyr. Girls dress up in white gowns with red sashes and wear wreaths of candles on their heads in honor of St. Lucia.
Asian festival: Dongzhi
- Where: East Asia
- When: December 20, 21, or 22
- Observed by: Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese, Ryukyuans, Peranakans
Dongzhi is the time when families get together and celebrate the year they have had. It includes making and eating tangyuan (glutinous rice balls), rice cakes, dumplings, and hot pots.
Biggest holiday in Antarctica: Midwinter Day
- Where: Antarctica
- When: June 20 or 21
- Observed by: Personnel at research stations in Antarctica
Midwinter Day (or midwinter festival) was invented by a British Antarctic expedition as an imitation of Christmas. It includes large, fancy meals (lobster and ribeye steak), alcohol, Christmas decorations, and gift exchanges.
Iranian festival: Yalda Night
- Where: Iran and historically Iranian-influenced regions
- When: December 20, 21, or 22
- Observed by: Iranians, Afghans, Azerbaijanis, Tajiks, Dagestanis
Yalda Night is the festival that families and friends celebrate together. During the longest night of the year, they eat special foods like nuts, pomegranates, and watermelons, whose red color symbolizes the crimson hues of dawn and the glow of life. Some stay awake all night long to welcome the sunrise.
English festival: Burning the Clocks
- Where: Brighton, England, UK
- When: December 20, 21, or 22
- Observed by: Citizens of Brighton
Burning the Clocks is a celebration based on a procession of lanterns and costumes made from willow canes and white tissue paper. The procession culminates in a lantern bonfire accompanied by fireworks. This festival was created as “an antidote to the excesses of the commercial Christmas.”
Winter solstice: FAQ
When is the next winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere?
The next winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere will occur on June 21, 2026, at 08:25 GMT/UTC. This is the shortest day of the year south of the equator and the start of astronomical winter there.
When is the next winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere?
The next winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere will occur on December 21, 2026, at 20:50 GMT/UTC. This is the shortest day of the year north of the equator and the start of astronomical winter there.
When is the next winter solstice in Australia?
The winter solstice 2026 in Australia falls on June 21 – it will be the shortest day and longest night of the year. In Sydney, the solstice occurs at 06:25 PM AEST. In Perth, the solstice occurs at 04:25 PM AWST; in Adelaide, at 05:55 PM ACST. This solstice marks the start of astronomical winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
When is the first day of winter 2026?
Astronomically speaking, the first day of winter 2026 in the Southern Hemisphere is June 21, the date of the winter solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, astronomical winter begins on December 21, 2026. However, meteorological winter starts earlier: on June 1 in the Southern Hemisphere and December 1 in the Northern Hemisphere.
Why isn’t the shortest day the coldest day?
The shortest day brings the least daylight, but land and oceans take time to cool down. Because of this delay, known as seasonal lag, the coldest weather often comes several weeks after the winter solstice.
When is the winter equinox?
There is no such thing as a “winter equinox.” Equinoxes occur only in spring and autumn, while solstices occur in summer and winter. Read more about equinoxes to learn the upcoming dates and how they occur.
How to celebrate the winter solstice?
Each culture has its own way of celebrating the winter solstice. We suggest you do it in an astronomical style – go stargazing, look for some meteors or identify a bright star near the Moon. Or you can stay inside and prove your astronomy skills by taking a solstice-themed quiz.
How does the winter solstice affect pets?
In the same way, as it affects people, you might notice that your cat or dog sleeps a bit more than usual and is a little less active. Around winter solstice, we get the least amount of sunlight – therefore, we tend to sleep more and feel less energized, and so do our pets. There is even a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or S.A.D., that makes people exhibit depressive symptoms at the same time each year.
Winter solstice 2026: key facts
The winter solstice takes place on December 21, 2026, in the Northern Hemisphere and on June 21, 2026, in the Southern Hemisphere. It marks the shortest day and longest night of the year and the first day of astronomical winter. People around the world have long celebrated this event – even in Antarctica. Want to see the exact solstice time and day length for your city? Check it in the Sky Tonight app.
What are solstices? Dive deeper
So you’ve learned about the winter solstice – nice! But what about its summer twin? And how do solstices relate to equinoxes? If you’re curious to really understand how seasons work, these resources will take you further:
- Summer Solstice 2026
- What Are Solstices?
- What Are Equinoxes?
- Quiz: Can You Tell an Equinox From a Solstice? (It’s trickier than it sounds, unless you’ve done your reading!)
