BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- In this weeks segment we're looking ahead to the official beginning of Winter this Saturday. Meteorological winter began back on Dec. 1 -- as we started to see our weather pattern turn colder. But Dec. 21st is for our astronomical mark of the season -- the most widely recognized day when winter starts for the northern half of our planet. This change in season is due to the 23.5-degree tilt of the Earth's axis compared to its orbit around the sun, allowing the least direct sunlight to reach the Northern Hemisphere this month. On the solstice, our Sun will reach its lowest point as it crosses the sky, making today the longest nighttime hours we will see for the entire year here along the Tropic of Cancer. Weather Wednesdays: Fog Season Meanwhile, south of the equator, along the Tropic of Capricorn, it's the longest day of the year as summer begins. For Kern County, the sun will rise at 7:01 a.m. on Saturday and set at 4:47 p.m. for a total of just 9 hours, 46 minutes and 8 seconds of daylight. Throughout history, this celestial event has played a crucial role in various civilizations, shaping their calendars, traditions, and agricultural practices. The solstice's timing influenced the development of many calendars, such as the ancient Roman calendar and the modern Gregorian calendar.