The winter solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year, marking the start of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere Skyler Caruso is a Writer and Reporter of PEOPLE Digital ...

The exact moment of the winter solstice varies from year to year due to a slight misalignment between the Gregorian calendar and the actual rate of the Earth’s rotation around the sun.

Summary: The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year and the winter solstice the longest night. This assembly is particularly suitable on, or near, the summer solstice - usually 21 June.