Winter solstice marked for next Tuesday, ‘coldest days’ to follow

AMMAN — Tuesday, December 21, marks the winter solstice, according to astronomer Imad Mujahed of the Wadi Rum Observatory.

The winter solstice will start at 5:59pm on Tuesday, he told the Jordan News Agency, Petra. On that day, the sun will rise at 6:26am and set at 4:43pm, marking the shortest day of the year at 10 hours and seven minutes and the longest night of the year at 13 hours and 53 minutes.

Following the first day of winter, days will start to become longer and nights shorter, until they become equal again on March 21, which marks the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere. In Jordan, the winter solstice coincides with the start of marbaniyeh, the local name given to the 40 coldest days of winter.