The Winter Solstice 2024. Here are the equinox and solstice dates—plus, answers to common questions about the seasons of the. Astronomical seasons are based on the position of the earth in relation to the sun.

The winter solstice — the exact moment when the sun appears farthest south in the sky — happens at 4:20 a.m. It marks the shortest day and longest night of the year and the first day of the winter in.