The solstice happens twice each year: around June 20–21 and December 21–22, marking the official start of astronomical summer and winter.

What a solstice is

A solstice is the moment when the sun reaches its greatest distance north or south of Earth’s celestial equator.

This creates the longest day of the year in one hemisphere and the shortest day in the other.

Typical dates each year

  • June (summer) solstice: usually June 20 or 21.
  • December (winter) solstice: usually December 21 or 22.

These dates can shift by a day depending on the year and your time zone.

Example: solstices in 2025

  • Summer solstice 2025 (Northern Hemisphere): Friday, June 20, 2025, at about 10:42 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
  • Winter solstice 2025 (Northern Hemisphere): Sunday, December 21, 2025, at about 15:03 (3:03 p.m.) UK time.

Quick seasonal meaning

  • June solstice: start of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • December solstice: start of astronomical winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

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