Dates of the equinoxes and solstices

Principles of the solstices

THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

When Saint John’s Day arrives, which corresponds to the start of summer, rituals and bonfires are in order...

The summer solstice is the date of the longest day of the year, and therefore the shortest night, in a hemisphere: Northern hemisphere in June, Southern hemisphere in December.

THE WINTER SOLSTICE

It marks the beginning of winter and is generally associated with a holiday, such as the Roman Saturnalia, Hanukkah in the Jewish religion, Kwanzaa for some African-Americans or Christmas, Sol invictus, Dies natalis solis invicti, celebration of the birth of Mitra, ancient pagan festival assimilated by the Christian religion.

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, and therefore the longest night, in a hemisphere: Northern hemisphere in December, Southern hemisphere in June .

The solstices are two times of the year when the sun reaches its southernmost and northernmost positions in relation to the plane of the celestial or terrestrial equator.
On the celestial sphere it then reaches its greatest positive (+23° 26’) or negative (-23° 26’) declination.

Principles of the equinoxes

The equinox is a sacred moment, a point of cosmic balance where light and shadow dance in perfect harmony.

It is the moment when the Sun crosses the Earth’s equatorial plane, traversing the celestial spheres like a pilgrim crossing the threshold of an invisible temple.

Since the dawn of civilization, this phenomenon has been perceived as an energetic gateway, a passage between two states of the world. It marks the moment when day and night become equal, reflecting the fundamental harmony of the universe, the union of yin and yang, the visible and the invisible.

The word "equinox" itself, derived from the Latin aequinoctium (aequus, equal, and nox, noctis, night), evokes this quest for balance, this celestial symphony that resonates within our very souls.

The spring equinox is the Earth’s awakening, the breath of renewal, the moment when light prevails over darkness, inviting inner blossoming. The autumn equinox, on the other hand, is a return to introspection, a descent into the depths, a time of stripping away and wisdom.

Thus, each equinox is a mirror held up to humankind: it invites us to seek harmony within ourselves, to balance our own light and shadow, to honor the eternal cycles of the cosmos and the soul.

Precise dates and times of the solstices and equinoxes

The times below are in Eastern Standard Time (EST = UT - 5 hours)
Add an hour when Eastern Daylight Time is in effect.

To find the years after those provided in this table, consult thee promenade imcce serveur from the Institute of Celestial Mechanics and Calculation of the Ephemerides (IMCCE) of the Paris Observatory.