Winter solstice Dec 21, 2025

Ever felt as if the night just wouldn"t end? That"s the winter solstice working its magic. It is the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring around December 21 or 22. In the Southern Hemisphere, the same happens around June 21 or 22. It marks the moment when one of Earth"s poles tilts farthest from the sun. From that instant, daylight slowly begins to lengthen again.

© Schon/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Dec 21, 2018Paper lanterns on the longest night
Dec 21, 2019Seventeen arches at sunset
Dec 21, 2020Shadows on the solstice
Dec 21, 2021Winter solstice
Dec 21, 2022Winter solstice
Dec 21, 2023Winter solstice
Dec 21, 2024Happy winter solstice!

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Aug 25, 2021Happy anniversary to the National Park Service!
Aug 5, 2022Edinburgh festivals
Jan 6, 2022Kochelsee in Bavaria
Jul 16, 2019Hemingway’s Keys
Sep 3, 2024Wilderness Act anniversary
Dec 18, 2018A hit ballet, long after its debut
Mar 7, 2019March of the flowers
Jan 11, 2023Umschreibung by Olafur Eliasson in Munich
Nov 21, 2020Headed to the High Country
Jan 3, 2022Lick Observatory
Sep 10, 2023Grandparents Day
Mar 4, 2019The eloquence of elephants
Dec 3, 2025Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico
Dec 5, 2025Maya site of Copán
Jul 24, 2025Happy Cousins Day!
Aug 7, 2018Guiding ships to safety
May 27, 2019Reflections on Memorial Day
Mar 13, 2018Wayag Islands in the Raja Ampat Islands of Indonesia
Jan 28, 2021Avatars of the Wolf Moon
Dec 6, 2018The owl that loved football
Sep 29, 2019Falling for Rioja
May 9, 2024Tulips at Emirgan Park in Istanbul, Türkiye
Apr 2, 2022Whangārei Falls in New Zealand
Jan 15, 2025Anniversary of the British Museum
Nov 20, 2021World Children s Day
Sep 4, 2025Grizzly bears in Alaska for National Wildlife Day
Apr 17, 2022Easter
Sep 26, 2024Blue-throated toucanet, Los Quetzales National Park, Costa Rica
Jan 20, 2020A march toward a dream
Mar 13, 2020Jerte Valley in bloom