June 21: The first day of summer

 

[Video by cottonbro studio]

The first day of summer, June 21, is known as the summer solstice. The summer solstice is the day of the year when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere. It is also the day with the longest period of daylight and the shortest night. In 2023, the summer solstice falls on June 21 at 10:57 a.m. EST.

The summer solstice occurs because the Earth’s axis is tilted by about 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane around the Sun. This means that, at different times of the year, different parts of the Earth are tilted towards or away from the Sun. During the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, which means that the days are longer and the nights are shorter.

In some cultures, the solstice is a time of celebration and renewal, or a time for religious observance. In many cultures, it is also associated with fertility and abundance.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice is often celebrated with festivals and rituals. Some popular festivals include Midsummer’s Eve in Scandinavia, Litha in Celtic cultures, and the Summer Solstice Festival in the United States.

Here are some other facts about the summer solstice:

• The word “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). This is because, at the summer solstice, the sun appears to stand still in the sky for a day.
• The summer solstice is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is not the day with the most sunlight. The day with the most sunlight is actually the day after the summer solstice, because the Earth’s atmosphere refracts sunlight, making the days seem slightly longer than they actually are.
• The summer solstice is also the day with the most daylight in the Southern Hemisphere. However, in the Southern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs in December.
• The summer solstice is a popular time for people to go camping, hiking, and swimming. It is also a popular time for farmers to plant crops.