winter solstice
It's no coincidence Christmas Day is so close to the shortest day of the year.
It's one of the most universally-celebrated days of the year – and not just in the UK.
Today is the shortest day of the year, with less than eight hours of sunlight for people in the UK. The “winter solstice” is celebrated by many, with revellers flocking to Stonehenge to mark the Midwinter point when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky.
Get ready for the shortest day of the year.
Daylight on Wednesday will last just seven hours, 49 minutes and 41 seconds.