When is the shortest day of the year? Date of the shortest day of the year and meaning behind winter solstice

The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year is nearly here - what date is it?
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The days have been getting darker earlier as we approach the shortest day of the year, also known as the Winter Solstice.

Also known as the dark days before Christmas, this period falls in December every year and brings the shortest day of the year.

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Here’s when the shortest day of the year falls, when the sunrise and sunset will be and where the Winter Solstice is still celebrated.

When is the shortest day of the year in the UK?

The shortest day of the year falls on or around December 21, 2021.

The shortest day is the day with the least amount of daylight in our yearly calendar, this is why it is known as the shortest day or the longest night of the year.

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Celebrations for the Winter Solstice will be taking place at Stonehenge on Wednesday, December 22, 2021.Celebrations for the Winter Solstice will be taking place at Stonehenge on Wednesday, December 22, 2021.
Celebrations for the Winter Solstice will be taking place at Stonehenge on Wednesday, December 22, 2021.

What time is sunrise and sunset on the winter solstice?

This year we will only get seven hours and 49 minutes of daylight, with the sunrise due at 8.03am and sunset at 3.53pm.

What is the winter solstice?

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The winter solstice is the one day every year that the northern hemisphere is tilted the furthest away from the sun, shortening the amount of sunlight.

The opposite happens on the summer solstice which falls on June 21, when we are closet to the sun and have the longest day of the year.

Why do we call it winter solstice?

The word solstice comes from the Latin words sol and sistere meaning sun and standing still.

Winter Solstice literally translates to meaning the sun stands still in winter.

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Where is the best place to watch the sunrise and sunset on the solstice?

The winter solstice is still celebrated by pagans across the UK and Ireland.

Stonehenge is the main spot in England, with thousands of visitors turning out to watch the sunset, with the events this year taking place on Wednesday, December 22, 2021.

In Northern Ireland, people attend the Giant's Ring just outside of Belfast and in Ireland, Newgrange holds a yearly lottery, which gives 120 a ticket to watch the winter solstice sunrise flood the 5,000 year old burial chamber.

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