December Solstice 2026
Monday 21 December 2026
The December solstice takes place on Monday 21 December 2026 at 20:50 UTC, or 8.50pm GMT in the UK, according to Royal Museums Greenwich. It marks the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice and the Southern Hemisphere’s summer solstice.
Add this date to my calendarA full year of awareness dates, ready to edit, print or sync.
Get the full 2027 awareness days calendar£39 a year. Renews annually.
On this page
Dates and event details
Monday 21 December 2026. Held dates set by the organiser each year.
| Date status | Date source-confirmed for 2026 |
|---|---|
| Date-check source | Royal Museums Greenwich 2026 solstice time |
| Where | International |
About December Solstice
The December solstice takes place on Monday 21 December 2026 at 20:50 UTC, or 8.50pm GMT in the UK, according to Royal Museums Greenwich. It marks the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice and the Southern Hemisphere’s summer solstice.
The solstice is a particular moment shared worldwide. Your local clock time, and in some time zones the calendar date, will differ. Check the time zone before arranging a live observation or an online gathering.
What happens at the December solstice?
Earth’s tilted axis changes how sunlight reaches the two hemispheres during the year. At the December solstice the north is tilted away from the Sun, while the south is tilted towards it. In northern locations it is the day with the least daylight; in southern locations it is the day with the most.
The date can vary between years, so the December solstice should not be treated as a permanently fixed 21 December event. The exact astronomical instant is also different from your local sunrise or sunset.
Stonehenge and the winter sunset
English Heritage explains Stonehenge’s solar alignment: the summer-solstice sunrise is to the north-east, while the winter-solstice sunset is to the south-west. A winter sunrise gathering and the monument’s principal winter sunset alignment are different things.
If you hope to visit, check English Heritage’s current access information before travelling. This guide’s solstice time does not establish a visitor opening time, admission arrangement or public programme.
A simple daylight activity
You do not need a monument visit to mark the turning point. Try keeping a small record of the daylight where you live:
- Choose one location and note its local sunrise and sunset times for 21 December.
- Write down what the day looks like from a familiar window or walking route, including the weather and where shadows fall.
- Repeat the record a week later, using the same location and source for the times.
- If sharing with someone in the other hemisphere, compare the length of the day and the season each of you is experiencing.
For a classroom or family activity, a globe and lamp can help explain the tilt. Keep the discussion connected to the place and date you are recording, rather than assuming everyone experiences December as winter.
