What does the winter solstice means for your love of daylight?

Though temperatures have fluctuated in Western North Carolina in recent weeks, the winter solstice is on its way, bringing the longest night and shortest day of the year.

The winter solstice also marks the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It occurs when the Earth's axis tilts farthest from the sun, bringing the longest night and shortest day of the year.

During the winter solstice, we are tilted as far away from the sun as possible. This also means that the sun's path across the sky is as low as it gets.

Who celebrates the winter solstice? Winter solstice events in Asheville, NC

Many cultures and religions celebrate the winter solstice; the same goes for the summer solstice and both equinoxes. In fact, there are several winter solstice celebrations in Asheville alone. Here's a few of the events taking place on Dec. 21 this year:

How many hours of daylight will North Carolina get on the winter solstice?

The sunrise in Asheville on Dec. 21 will be 7:36 a.m., with sunset occurring at 5:21 p.m. according to timeanddate.com.

That gives us about 9 hours and 45 minutes of sunlight on the winter solstice - on June 20, this year's summer solstice, the same area saw about 14 hours and 34 minutes of sunlight.

What are the astronomical dates for the four seasons of 2025?