Winter Solstice Marks Shortest Day of 2023

Despite being the shortest day, the earliest sunset and latest sunrise do not coincide with the solstice due to Earth's elliptical orbit.

The winter solstice, marking the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, occurred at 10:27 P.M. EST on December 21, 2023.
Despite the solstice being the shortest day, the earliest sunset and latest sunrise do not occur on the same day. The earliest sunset was on December 7, while the latest sunrise will be on January 5, 2024.
The solstice is caused by Earth's axial tilt and its elliptical orbit, which is currently causing Earth to move slightly faster around the sun than average, affecting the timing of sunrises and sunsets.
Following the winter solstice, the days will increasingly become longer leading up to the summer solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year.
Historical monuments like Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland, which were built to mark the sun’s changing path in the sky, livestream the event for viewers around the world.