The shortest day and longest night arrives in Ontario

Along with the cold temperatures expected this weekend, the season’s longest night has arrived in Ontario.

The Winter Solstice, an annual event marking the Northern Hemisphere’s shortest day and longest night.

This event signifies an “astronomical winter,” but it usually doesn’t mean it’ll be colder than any other day. It’s merely a term distinguishing it from meteorological winter, which starts on Dec. 1, three weeks earlier, based on the calendar month.

According to Space.com, this phenomenon occurs as Earth’s axis tilts 23 degrees away from the sun, reaching its farthest point.

Without this tilt, the sun would remain close to the equator and every part of the planet would receive the same amount of light year-round, Britannica.com notes.

Simultaneously, the Southern Hemisphere celebrates its Summer Solstice with extended daylight, while its Winter Solstice occurred on June 21, during the Northern Hemisphere’s Summer Solstice.

Today, we understand how astronomical events cause solstices, but for those that came before us, these moments held supernatural importance, inspiring both celebrations and dark folk tales.

One of these tales that Space.com highlights comes from Finnish folklore where Louhi, —an evil witch— hoards the sun and moon, leading to the solstice’s symbolic darkness. Through centuries, as our cosmic understanding advanced, these traditions faded and were replaced by modern comforts such as central heating and electric lights—dispelling ancient fears of the sun’s disappearance.

This year’s Winter Solstice on Saturday, Dec. 21, brings around 8 hours and 54 minutes of daylight in Ontario, with sunrise at 7:47 a.m. and sunset at 4:41 p.m.