Winter solstice Dec 21, 2025

Winter solstice

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

Rainbow around the sun
Dec 21, 2023Ljubljana, Slovenia
Dec 21, 2024Happy winter solstice!

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Sep 8, 2024International Literacy Day
Where are these magnificent cliffs?
Oct 6, 2025Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
Nov 19, 2023Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, Estonia
An unbreakable bond between siblings
Nov 8, 2023Crystal River, Three Sisters Spring, Florida, USA
Jan 28, 2024Channel Country, Australia
Jul 13, 2025International Rock Day
40 years of recovery
Oct 24, 2023Vijayadashami
A postcard-perfect landscape
Jul 18, 2025Turquoise waters of the Bahamas
Jul 4, 2025Orosei, Sardinia, Italy
Oct 2, 2023Gandhi Jayanti
Mar 3, 2026Celebrating Holi
Dec 11, 2025International Mountain Day
Dec 26, 2025Boxing Day
Mar 31, 2026Paradise Cave, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam
Turtle-y nice day for a swim
Dec 20, 2024Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
Apr 22, 2024Earth Day
Boardwalk nostalgia
Racing through the five boroughs
Rocky Mountain runoff
The lungs of Earth
Dare to tread through the fairy flower?
Feb 6, 2024Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Jul 2, 2025Spine-cheeked anemonefish
Sep 18, 2023Milky Way over Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park
Mar 24, 2026Cherry blossoms at East Lake Cherry Blossom Park, Wuhan, China