Crowds at Glastonbury Tor in Somerset, England during the summer solstice
Graham Hunt/Alamy
Today, June 21st, is the June Solstice. His June solstice, also known as the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, marks the time when the Sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer.
It is the northernmost point reached by the Sun throughout the year, the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the shortest in the southern hemisphere.
When is the June Solstice in 2023?
The summer solstice is not strictly a day, but a time of day. It usually takes place on June 21st or 22nd, but this year it will take place on June 21st at 3:57pm BST.
What Causes the June Solstice?
The Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted 23.5 degrees from the plane of its orbit around the Sun. This is why we have seasons. During the Northern Hemisphere summer, the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, and during the Southern Hemisphere summer, the South Pole tilts toward the Sun.
The June solstice marks the moment of the year when the North Pole reaches its maximum tilt toward the Sun.
December also has a summer solstice, and the same thing happens in Antarctica. The June solstice also marks the astronomical start of summer in the northern hemisphere.
What is Astronomical Summer?
There are two ways to define the beginning and end of seasons: meteorological and astronomical. In the northern hemisphere, meteorological summer begins on June 1, he, while astronomical summer begins on he, June solstice.
How many hours of light are there at the summer solstice?
Daylight hours vary with latitude. On the day of the June solstice, there are 24 hours of daylight in the Arctic Circle, but in the tropics near the equator the longest daylight hours are just over 12 hours. The further away you are from the equator, the greater the difference between winter and summer day lengths. The sun does not rise on the June solstice in Antarctica.
What is the origin of the name?
The term summer solstice comes from two Latin words: Solmeans “sun”, sisterwhich means “stop”.
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