At the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice the upper half of the Earth is at its furthest lean away from the sun — leading to the shortest day and longest night of the year. The winter solstice falls can fall between Dec. 20 and 23 — this year it’s the 21st.

The shortest day of the year in 2025, or the winter solstice, is on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 10:03 a.m. ET, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. We experience solstices because of the Earth's tilted axis, the Old Farmer's Almanac said.

Sky watchers may be tempted out this weekend, when an underappreciated meteor shower will coincide with a new moon and the longest night of year for the Northern Hemisphere

The Ursid meteor shower peaks on Sunday, Dec. 21, just after the solstice, with ideal viewing conditions and dark skies just after sunset.

The Ursids will peak around the time of the winter solstice under dark skies with chances of enhanced meteor activity.