What is Summer Solstice?
The first day of summer 2021 is June 21 at 11:32 p.m. EDT.
June 20 is the day of Summer Solstice. It’s called the longest day of the year because it’s the day with the most daylight in a 24-hr. time period.
Solstice’ (Latin: ‘solstitium’) means ‘sun-stopping’ as its the point where the sun appears to rise and set, stops and reverses direction after this day.
Sunday is the longest day and shortest night of the year. It’s the first “official” day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
To note, its a day only in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the shortest day of the year south of the equator. The Southern Hemisphere, will have three months of winter.
For the week going forward and a bit after that, we will continue increasing at the slightly slower pace of about 2 minutes and 7 seconds per day of light. During this time period around the spring equinox peak, this is the time of year when the number of daylight hours is growing the fastest.
On average, there is a one-month lag between the solstice and peak summer temperatures, according to climatologist Brian Brettschneider. That’s why July is almost always the hottest month of the year in most locations. Reports USA Today
Check out the website – https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/summer-solstice.html to see all the times of all the Solstice’s.
For example, in California- Southern Hemisphere Summer Solstice
(Australia, New Zealand, South America, Southern Africa)
December Solstice in Coachella, California, USA is on
Tuesday, December 21, 2021, at 7:59 am PST
For centuries, June solstice has inspired countless festivals, midsummer celebrations, and religious holidays. In Stonehenge in England, a megalithic structure which marks the moment of the June solstice.
In Sweden, midsummer takes place in June and is a celebration of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. It is one of the most celebrated holidays in Sweden. A maypole is created and raised during the day, which people gather around to dance and sing.
