Is the winter solstice the shortest or longest day?

The solstice in winter is the shortest day; Before the winter solstice, the days get shorter and the nights get longer. From the winter solstice to the summer solstice, the days get longer and the nights get shorter.

The winter solstice is the 22nd solar term in the "24 solar terms", and the solar calendar reaches 270 degrees. Every year, the festival is held on 65438+February 2 1-23 in the Gregorian calendar. The winter solstice is the limit of the sun's southward travel, and the height of the sun in the northern hemisphere is the smallest on this day. On the solstice of winter, the sun shines directly on the tropic of Capricorn, and the sun is most inclined to the northern hemisphere. The solstice in winter is the turning point of the sun. After this day, it will go back. The direct point of the sun will move northward from the Tropic of Capricorn (23 26' s), and the northern hemisphere (China is located in the northern hemisphere) will increase day by day.

Extended data

Winter solstice, also known as short solstice, winter festival, year-ending, winter worship, etc., has both natural and humanistic connotations. It is not only an important solar term among the 24 solar terms, but also a traditional folk festival in China.

The solstice in winter is one of the eight festivals in four seasons, and it is considered as a big holiday in winter. There is an ancient saying that the solstice in winter is as big as a year, so the ancients called it "off-year" or "off-year". The custom of winter solstice varies in content or details due to different regions. In some areas along the southern coast of China, there are customs of offering sacrifices to ancestors and feasting on the winter solstice. In northern China, it is a custom to eat jiaozi from winter to Sunday every year.