Winter Solstice 2025 Date, Time in India: When Is the Shortest Day and the Longest Night of the Year? Know December Solstice Sunrise and Sunset Timings
Experience the shortest day of 2025 on Sunday, December 21. The Winter Solstice in India peaks at 8:32 PM IST, offering just 10 hours and 19 minutes of daylight. This astronomical event marks the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the spiritual transition toward Uttarayana. Learn the timings, science, and significance.
Mumbai, December 19: The Northern Hemisphere will observe the winter solstice on Sunday, December 21, 2025, marking the shortest day and the longest night of the calendar year. This annual astronomical event, which signals the official start of astronomical winter in the north, occurs at the precise moment the Earth's North Pole reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun.
In India, the peak of the winter solstice will occur at 8:32 PM IST. While the solstice is a specific moment in time, its effects are felt throughout the day in the form of significantly reduced daylight hours.
Winter Solstice 2025 Date and Time in India (Delhi)
- Date: December 21
- Day: Sunday
- Winter Solstice Time: 8:32 PM
- Sunrise: 7:10 AM
- Sunset: 5:29 PM
- Total Daylight: 10 hours, 19 minutes, and 11 seconds
From this point forward, the Sun will begin its gradual "northward" journey, and daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere will slowly increase each day until the summer solstice in June. December Solstice Greetings: Share Happy Winter Solstice Messages, HD Images, Quotes, Wishes and Wallpapers To Celebrate the First Day of Winter.
When Is the Shortest Day and the Longest Night of 2025?
The shortest day and the longest night of the year 2025 will be observed on December 21.
What Is Winter Solstice? Why Does It Occur?
The winter solstice is caused by the Earth's axial tilt of approximately 23.5 degrees. As the planet orbits the Sun, this tilt causes different parts of the Earth to receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year.
During the December solstice, the Sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere. This result in a "seasonal flip": while northern countries like India, the United States, and the United Kingdom experience winter, southern nations such as Australia and Argentina are currently celebrating their summer solstice and their longest day of the year.
Winter Solstice Cultural and Spiritual Significance
In India, the winter solstice is historically and spiritually significant, often associated with the transition toward Uttarayana- the six-month period of the Sun's northern run. While the popular festival of Makar Sankranti now falls in January due to the shifting of the Earth's axis over centuries (axial precession), the solstice itself remains a vital marker in traditional Panchang calendars for seasonal change and agricultural cycles.
Globally, the event has been celebrated for millennia. Ancient structures like Stonehenge in England and the Newgrange tomb in Ireland were specifically built to align with the solstice sunrise or sunset, highlighting the importance of this date to early civilizations who viewed it as the "rebirth of the Sun."
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 19, 2025 02:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).