2017 First Day of Winter: 4 Fast Facts

It’s the first day of winter — the winter solstice — when the earth tilts the northern hemisphere farthest away from the sun. (In the southern hemisphere it is the longest day of the year, their first day of summer.) Four facts about this first day of winter:

1. Winter solstice arrives at 11:28 a.m. EST on Thursday, November 21 — the shortest day of the year.

2. Technically, it occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, or 23.5° south latitude.

3. In Virginia, that means we will have approximately nine hours and 26 minutes of daylight. In Fairbanks, Alaska, they will see three hours and 41 minutes of daylight, while those north of there will be plunged in darkness all day.

4. Winter solstice is also called Yule and Midwinter.

Happy winter!

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell