The shortest day and longest night is coming up in Ontario

Along with snow and a deep chill settling in across southern Ontario, the season’s longest night is almost here.

The Winter Solstice falls on Sunday, Dec. 21, arriving at 10:03 a.m. EST. It marks the Northern Hemisphere’s shortest day and longest night and signals the start of astronomical winter.

Astronomical winter is tied to Earth’s position and tilt relative to the sun. It differs from meteorological winter, which began on Dec. 1 and runs until Feb. 28, 2026, and is based on calendar months rather than Earth’s orbital alignment.

According to Space.com, the solstice occurs as Earth’s axis tilts about 23 degrees away from the sun, lowering the sun’s path across the sky and shortening daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere. At the same time, the Southern Hemisphere marks its Summer Solstice, experiencing its longest day of the year.

Without this axial tilt, the sun would remain closer to the equator year-round and daylight would be more evenly distributed across the planet, Britannica.com explains.

While solstices are now understood as predictable astronomical events, they once carried deeper cultural meaning. Space.com notes that the darkest stretch of the year inspired seasonal rituals and folklore rooted in fears of the sun’s disappearance.

One such tale comes from Finnish folklore, where a mythical figure is said to hoard the sun and moon, turning the solstice into a symbol of darkness until light is restored.

Over time, scientific understanding (along with modern comforts such as electric lighting and heated homes) helped ease those ancient fears.

On Dec. 21, Ontario will see about 8 hours and 54 minutes of daylight, with sunrise at 7:47 a.m. and sunset at 4:41 p.m.