Weather and Nature

Solstices and equinoxes

The exact dates and times of the solstices and equinoxes, what each one is called in either hemisphere and what it does to day length.

Solstices and equinoxes are not days, they are instants. The equinox is the moment the centre of the Sun crosses the celestial equator; the solstice is the moment it reaches its greatest declination north or south. That is why the date moves from year to year, and why the same event is called summer in one hemisphere and winter in the other. The times below are UTC and were computed with the method of Meeus chapter 27, agreeing with the USNO to within a minute.

2026

DateTime (UTC)Northern hemisphereSouthern hemisphere
20 Mar 202614:45Spring equinoxAutumn equinox
21 Jun 202608:25Summer solsticeWinter solstice
23 Sept 202600:05Autumn equinoxSpring equinox
21 Dec 202620:50Winter solsticeSummer solstice

2027

DateTime (UTC)Northern hemisphereSouthern hemisphere
20 Mar 202720:25Spring equinoxAutumn equinox
21 Jun 202714:11Summer solsticeWinter solstice
23 Sept 202706:01Autumn equinoxSpring equinox
22 Dec 202702:42Winter solsticeSummer solstice

2028

DateTime (UTC)Northern hemisphereSouthern hemisphere
20 Mar 202802:17Spring equinoxAutumn equinox
20 Jun 202820:01Summer solsticeWinter solstice
22 Sept 202811:45Autumn equinoxSpring equinox
21 Dec 202808:20Winter solsticeSummer solstice

2029

DateTime (UTC)Northern hemisphereSouthern hemisphere
20 Mar 202908:02Spring equinoxAutumn equinox
21 Jun 202901:48Summer solsticeWinter solstice
22 Sept 202917:38Autumn equinoxSpring equinox
21 Dec 202914:14Winter solsticeSummer solstice

2030

DateTime (UTC)Northern hemisphereSouthern hemisphere
20 Mar 203013:52Spring equinoxAutumn equinox
21 Jun 203007:31Summer solsticeWinter solstice
22 Sept 203023:27Autumn equinoxSpring equinox
21 Dec 203020:09Winter solsticeSummer solstice

How these times are calculated

Solstices and equinoxes are not days, they are instants. The equinox is the moment the centre of the Sun crosses the celestial equator; the solstice is the moment it reaches its greatest declination north or south. That is why the date moves from year to year, and why the same event is called summer in one hemisphere and winter in the other. The times below are UTC and were computed with the method of Meeus chapter 27, agreeing with the USNO to within a minute.