Happy Winter Solstice!

Today, December 21, 2025 at 10:03 am, is the Winter Solstice and officially the beginning of Winter. Look toward the south and notice that the Sun is at its lowest in the sky. Also, the night is the longest and the day the shortest of the entire year.

More technically, the Sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, which defines the Winter Solstice for us and the Summer Solstice for the Southern Hemisphere. The Sun is over the Tropic of Cancer at our Summer Solstice and over the Equator at the Equinoxes.

If you like stargazing, this is the best time to view the night sky. Look for the constellations of Orion, surrounded by Canis Major, Canis Minor, Gemini, Auriga, and Taurus. Follow the winter circle stars of Rigel, Sirius, Procyon, Pollux, Capella, and Aldebaran. If you look toward the north just after sunset, you will notice that the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) is low on the horizon, but Cassiopeia is high in the sky this time of year. For those in the Southern Hemisphere, look for the Magellanic Clouds high above the southern celestial pole.

But, don’t worry, from now on, the days will be getting longer and the nights shorter as we move toward Spring, which begins on March 20, 2026. Look for the constellation of Leo, which signals the beginning of Spring.