December Solstice 2017 Explained

Find out how astronomy and meteorology differ on the definition, why solstices happen, and how the day is marked around the world.

 

Winter Solstice

Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

  Winter in the Northern Hemisphere officially kicks off Wednesday (Dec. 21), which marks the December solstice — the day with the fewest hours of daylight of 2016.

 

Hello Winter

Thousands of people gathered at Stonehenge for a winter solstice which may have taken place on the mildest December 22 since records began. A crowd of almost 5,000 people were at the prehistoric Wiltshire landmark for the "very special" time of the latest dawn and the point when the sun is at its lowest in the sky, according to senior Druid, King Arthur Pendragon. via