Here's The Exact Date And Time It's Going To Get Light In The UK

Today, the sun is going to set at just past ten to four in the UK.

That should be illegal, frankly. But there’s some good news ― the tide is about to turn soon. 

Darker nights and sunless mornings can be bad for our mental health and makes attending the endless social events of the festive season especially stressful. 

Thankfully the winter solstice ― the period Royal Museums Greenwich says refers to the sun “standing still” before changing direction ― is set to come on December 21. 

After that, we’ll get more and more sun per day.

But when, and how much?

According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, “The actual moment of the solstice in 2024 will occur at 9.21am GMT in the UK” ― but most of us take the whole day as solstice. 

That’s the shortest day of the year, and the darkest. After that, the days will get lighter and lighter. 

But if you’re wondering when you’ll start to notice changes, the Farmer’s Almanac writes: “This gain will be minuscule at first, just a matter of seconds a day, but will steadily grow until daily daylight expands by three daily minutes per day in March.” 

They add that the exact levels of brightness will depend on your location. 

By 15 January the sun will rise before 8am for the first time in 2025. 

But it’ll take until 8 February 2025 until the sun rises before 8am and sets after 5pm.

Solstice used to happen on a “different” day

Many of us are holding on to hopes of brighter days to get us through the cold, dark months. 

But according to the Royal Museum Greenwich, we would have had completely different dates before; though of course the actual astronomical event happens separately to our calendars.

“Under the old Julian Calendar, the winter solstice occurred on 25 December,” they explain on their site.

“With the introduction of the Gregorian calendar, the solstice slipped to the 21st, but the Christian celebration of Jesus’s birth continued to be held on 25 December.”