Winter solstice 2026: the longest night of the year
The December solstice is the moment the Sun reaches its farthest point south. In the Northern Hemisphere it brings the shortest day and longest night of the year; in the Southern Hemisphere, the longest day. Calculated from the Sun’s real position:
December solstice: Monday, December 21, 2026 at 3:50 PM EST
| City (Dec 21) | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 7:16 AM | 4:31 PM | 9 h 15 min |
| Chicago | 7:14 AM | 4:22 PM | 9 h 8 min |
| Los Angeles | 6:54 AM | 4:47 PM | 9 h 53 min |
| Toronto | 7:47 AM | 4:43 PM | 8 h 56 min |
| London | 8:03 AM | 3:53 PM | 7 h 50 min |
| Berlin | 8:14 AM | 3:53 PM | 7 h 39 min |
| Sydney | 5:40 AM | 8:05 PM | 14 h 25 min |
Local times. Sydney is in summer: the same moment is its longest day. Next December solstice: December 21, 2027.
Keep that night
Turn it into a star map poster — the real stars and this exact Moon.
See my sky free for December 21, 2026Questions
When is the winter solstice 2026?
Monday, December 21, 2026 at 3:50 pm US Eastern time (20:50 UTC).
Is the solstice always on December 21?
It falls on December 21 or 22 (UTC), depending on the year.
What can I see in the sky on the longest night?
Orion, Sirius and the Winter Hexagon in the evening; the Ursid meteor shower also peaks around December 21–22.
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