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The first day of winter arrives this week, marked by the solstice

A car slowly travels down a road after a second round of snow passed through northern Minnesota Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022, in Duluth, Minn.
Holden Law
/
AP
A car slowly travels down a road after a second round of snow passed through northern Minnesota Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022, in Duluth, Minn.

Temperatures are dropping across the U.S., as the first day of winter, also called the winter solstice, takes place this week across the country and the Northern Hemisphere.

The event begins at 4:48 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 21, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory.

On the day of a solstice, the Earth is at its maximum tilt, 23.5 degrees, either toward or away from the sun.

A winter solstice happens in the Northern Hemisphere when the hemisphere is tilting away from the sun, making it the day with the least amount of sunlight. The sun is above the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere and runs through Australia, Chile, southern Brazil and northern South Africa, according to the National Weather Service.

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Ayana Archie
[Copyright 2024 NPR]

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The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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