Doha, December 20 (QNA) - The Sun will be directly overhead at the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, at exactly 6:04 p.m. Doha local time, the Qatar Calendar House (QCH) announced Saturday.

Astronomical expert at the QCH Dr. Bashir Marzouq stated that on this day, folks in the Northern Hemisphere, including the State of Qatar, will behold the shortest day and the longest night of the year, marking the occurrence of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.

Conversely, conditions will be reversed in the Southern Hemisphere, where the summer solstice will take place on the same day, Marzouq highlighted, adding that the winter solstice follows the autumnal equinox, which occurred last September, after which the Sun continued its apparent motion progressively southward following its alignment over the Equator on the day of the equinox.

Consequently, Marzouq elaborated, daylight hours gradually diminished across the Northern Hemisphere, with this progression reaching its zenith in the form of the shortest daylight span and longest night on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere will be gazing upon the longest day and shortest night of the year.

This winter phenomenon is regarded as one of the most significant astronomically, alongside the remaining three astronomical seasons, during which inhabitants of the Earth rely on them to discern climatic transformations, he noted.

On this day, Marzouq highlighted, the Sun will rise from its southernmost point toward the southeast of Qatar's sky, and the noon shadow will reach its maximum length of the year at solar noon.

As is well established, following the winter solstice, the Sun will resume its apparent northward motion, with daylight hours gradually increasing and nighttime duration correspondingly decreasing until day and night equalize on the evening of Friday, March 20, 2026, Marzouq remarked.

He further indicated that on that day, the Sun will be directly overhead at the Equator, heralding the advent of the vernal (spring) equinox for the Northern Hemisphere. (QNA)