Midnight facts for kids
Midnight is the exact middle of the night. It's the time when one day ends and a new day begins. On a 24-hour clock, midnight is 24:00 or 00:00. On a 12-hour clock, it's 12:00 a.m..
Solar midnight is a special kind of midnight. It's the exact opposite of solar noon. Solar noon is when the sun is highest in the sky. Solar midnight is when the sun is at its lowest point below the horizon. This doesn't always happen at 12:00 a.m. on the clock.
Midnight and the Clock
Midnight is a very important moment. It acts like a dividing line between two days. It marks the end of the old day and the start of the new one.
When you look at a digital clock, it usually shows 12:00 a.m. right at midnight. It's easy to get confused by this. The "a.m." part means the time period after midnight. So, when the clock shows "12:00 a.m.", the new day has already begun.
Think of it this way:
- At 11:59 p.m., it's still the old day.
- The very next second, it becomes midnight.
- The clock changes to 12:00 a.m., and a brand new day has started!
This means that 12:00 a.m. is the first minute of the new day. It's not the exact moment that separates p.m. from a.m.
Images for kids
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Midnight at Metz railway station, in France
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See also
In Spanish: Medianoche para niños
