The winter solstice — the Shortest Day of the Year and the Longest Night — happens today at exactly 10:58 a.m.
The solstice is the astronomical beginning of winter. After the solstice, the days slowly start to get longer again.
Today, there are only 7 hours, 49 minutes and 42 seconds of daylight, so take advantage of it. Tomorrow, the daylight will last just a wee bit longer.
The Earth’s tilted axis causes the seasons. During the Northern Hemisphere’s winter, the land north of the equator is tilted away from the sun, which lowers the amount of the sun’s energy warming the Northern Hemisphere.
Of course, it’s all opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, where Dec. 21 marks the beginning of astronomical summer.