Midnight

time · clocks · daily life

When day changes. Midnight is the moment on the clock when the date flips from one day to the next, like when Wednesday becomes Thursday. It's the official start of a new day in your time zone.

Opposite of noon. Just like noon is 12:00 in the middle of the day when the sun is highest, midnight is 12:00 in the middle of the night. They are exactly 12 hours apart on the clock.

Different everywhere. Because Earth is round and spins, midnight happens at different times in different parts of the world. When it's midnight in London, it might still be afternoon in New York.

Local time matters. Midnight depends on your local time zone, not something that happens everywhere at once. Your town's official clocks determine when midnight arrives for you.

A special moment. For thousands of years, midnight has marked important moments like New Year's Eve celebrations and the witching hour in stories and traditions.