MANILA - The Philippines will experience longer nights and shorter days as the sun reaches the winter solstice on December 22, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.

PAGASA weather observer Nico Mendoza said the sun will reach the Winter Solstice at 6:44 p.m. (PST) on Thursday, marking the time when the sun lies at its farthest point south of the equator.

The winter solstice also signals the onset of winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the southern hemisphere.

“Philippine nights will be longer than daytime. Earth has now completed another annual circuit around the Sun,” PAGASA said.

A solstice is an astronomical event during which the sun is at its greatest northerly or southerly distance from the equator.

The annual June astronomical event is meanwhile known as the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice when night there is shortest and day is longest.

It is also the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice when night there is longest and day is shortest.

In contrast, the annual December astronomical event is the Northern Hemisphere's winter solstice when night there is longest and day is shortest.

Meanwhile, on the same day, at around 10:00 PM, the famous equilateral triangle in the sky, known as the Winter Triangle will be located at about 30 degrees above the eastern horizon during the month.

The triangle is composed of Betelgeuse, the super giant red star and the prominent star of the famous constellation Orion (the Mighty Hunter), Sirius, the brightest star in the sky of the constellation Canis Major (the Big Dog), and Procyon, the brightest star of the constellation Canis Minor (the Little Dog).