Winter Solstice signals return of daylight in Britain as solstice sun stands still at 15:03 GMT

Britain on Thursday marked the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. At 15:03 GMT, the sun will appear to stand still as it reaches its southernmost point in the sky, over the Tropic of Capricorn, before the days start to lengthen. On average, Britons will have about 7.5 hours of daylight, though the exact duration varies by location.

The solstice occurs because the Earth is tilted on its axis by about 23.5 degrees relative to its orbit around the sun. This tilt means different parts of the planet receive varying amounts of sunlight throughout the year. The term solstice derives from the Latin words sol, meaning sun, and sistere, meaning to stand still. As scientists explain, the December solstice marks the moment when the Sun’s apparent movement north or south pauses before reversing direction. "During the December solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted the farthest away from the Sun, resulting in the shortest day and longest night of the year for that hemisphere," said Dr Shyam Balaji, an astrophysics expert at King’s College London. "After the December solstice, the days start to get longer in the Northern Hemisphere."

The length of daylight varies across Britain. In London, people will experience 7 hours, 49 minutes and 42 seconds of sunshine today, while those further south, in Truro, will have about 8 hours, 1 minute and 55 seconds of daylight. In contrast, John O’Groats, at the far northeast tip of Scotland, will see roughly 6 hours, 16 minutes and 54 seconds of daylight. The differences reflect latitude: more northern locations receive shorter days at solstice, even as the overall trend across the year leans toward longer daylight hours.

Today also marks the start of winter in the astronomical calendar. Under that system, astronomical winter begins on 21 December 2025 and runs until 20 March 2026. By comparison, meteorological winter places the first day of winter on 1 December and ends on 28 February (29 February in a leap year). The two calendars reflect different methods for dividing the seasons: the tilt-based, astronomical approach adheres to solstices and equinoxes, while the meteorological approach groups the year into four three-month seasons.

The solstice is a reminder of Earth’s orbital geometry. The Sun’s path across the sky shifts with the seasons as the planet orbits the Sun and as the tilt of the axis continuously reorients relative to our star. After today, the Northern Hemisphere begins a gradual return of daylight, with mornings brightening and evenings staying light a little longer with each passing day. The trend toward longer days is not immediate in every location; the gradual lengthening is a cumulative effect that will become more noticeable through January and February as spring approaches.

Temperatures across Britain are expected to continue to fall in the coming days as winter deepens, even as the daylight slowly lengthens. Meteorologists note that the solstice does not guarantee immediate weather changes, but it marks a predictable turning point in the cycle of seasons. For many, the return of slightly longer days—albeit still short by summer standards—provides a contextual beacon as communities endure the short, darker days of late December and January. As researchers and educators emphasize, understanding the solstice helps explain not only daylight patterns but also cultural traditions tied to the turning of the year. The next major astronomical milestone will be the vernal (spring) equinox, when day and night are roughly equal, which follows several weeks after the calendar midpoint of winter.

In sum, today’s solstice is both a natural scientific marker and a cultural moment—a reminder that the annual dance of the Earth, Sun, and seasons continues, even as daylight gradually lengthens from today onward.