The summer solstice or estival solstice[i] occurs when one of Earth's poles has its maximum tilt toward the Sun. It happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). The summer solstice is the day with the longest period of daylight and shortest night of the year in that hemisphere, when the sun is at its highest position in the sky. At either pole there is continuous daylight at the time of its summer solstice. The opposite event is the winter solstice.
| Summer solstice | |
|---|---|
 Sunrise at Stonehenge in England during the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere | |
| Also called | Midsummer; the Longest Day; the Shortest Night; Estival solstice |
| Observed by | Various cultures |
| Type | Cultural, astronomical |
| Significance | Beginning of lengthening nights and shortening days |
| Date | June 20, June 21, or June 22 (Northern Hemisphere) and December 20, December 21, December 22, or December 23 (Southern Hemisphere) |
| event | equinox | solstice | equinox | solstice | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| month | March[3] | June[4] | September[5] | December[6] | ||||
| year | day | time | day | time | day | time | day | time |
| 2020 | 20 | 03:50 | 20 | 21:43 | 22 | 13:31 | 21 | 10:03 |
| 2021 | 20 | 09:37 | 21 | 03:32 | 22 | 19:21 | 21 | 15:59 |
| 2022 | 20 | 15:33 | 21 | 09:14 | 23 | 01:04 | 21 | 21:48 |
| 2023 | 20 | 21:25 | 21 | 14:58 | 23 | 06:50 | 22 | 03:28 |
| 2024 | 20 | 03:07 | 20 | 20:51 | 22 | 12:44 | 21 | 09:20 |
| 2025 | 20 | 09:02 | 21 | 02:42 | 22 | 18:20 | 21 | 15:03 |
| 2026 | 20 | 14:46 | 21 | 08:25 | 23 | 00:06 | 21 | 20:50 |
| 2027 | 20 | 20:25 | 21 | 14:11 | 23 | 06:02 | 22 | 02:43 |
| 2028 | 20 | 02:17 | 20 | 20:02 | 22 | 11:45 | 21 | 08:20 |
| 2029 | 20 | 08:01 | 21 | 01:48 | 22 | 17:37 | 21 | 14:14 |
| 2030 | 20 | 13:51 | 21 | 07:31 | 22 | 23:27 | 21 | 20:09 |
The summer solstice occurs during the hemisphere's summer. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice (20, 21 or 22 June) and in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the December solstice (20, 21, 22 or 23 of December). Since prehistory, the summer solstice has been a significant time of year in many cultures, and has been marked by festivals and rituals. Traditionally, in temperate regions (especially Europe), the summer solstice is seen as the middle of summer and referred to as midsummer; although today in some countries and calendars it is seen as the beginning of summer.
On the summer solstice, Earth's maximum axial tilt toward the Sun is 23.44°.[7] Likewise, the Sun's declination from the celestial equator is 23.44°. In areas outside the tropics, the sun reaches its highest elevation angle at solar noon on the summer solstice.
Although the summer solstice is the longest day of the year for that hemisphere, the dates of earliest sunrise and latest sunset vary by a few days.[8] This is because Earth orbits the Sun in an ellipse, and its orbital speed varies slightly during the year.[7]
Culture
editThere is evidence that the summer solstice has been culturally important since the Neolithic era. Many ancient monuments in Europe especially, as well as parts of the Middle East, Asia and the Americas, are aligned with the sunrise or sunset on the summer solstice (see archaeoastronomy).[9][10] The significance of the summer solstice has varied among cultures, but most recognize the event in some way with holidays, festivals, and rituals around that time with themes of fertility.[11] In the Roman Empire, the traditional date of the summer solstice was 24 June.[12] In Germanic-speaking cultures, the time around the summer solstice is called 'midsummer'. Traditionally in northern Europe midsummer was reckoned as the night of 23–24 June, with summer beginning on May Day.[13] The summer solstice continues to be seen as the middle of summer in many European cultures, but in some cultures or calendars it is seen as summer's beginning.[14] In Sweden, midsummer is one of the year's major holidays when the country closes down as much as during Christmas.
Observances
edit- Traditional festivals
- Saint John's Eve (Europe), including:
- Kupala Night (Slavic peoples)
- Yhyakh (Yakuts)
- Tiregān (Iran)
- Xiazhi (China)
- Shën Gjini–Shën Gjoni, Festa e Malit/Bjeshkës, Festa e Blegtorisë, etc. (Albanians)
- Modern observances
- National Indigenous Peoples Day (Canada)
- Day of Private Reflection (Northern Ireland)
- Fremont Solstice Parade (Fremont, Seattle, Washington, United States)
- Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Parade (Santa Barbara, California, United States)
- International Yoga Day
- Fête de la Musique, also known as World Music Day
In folk music
editLength of the day on northern summer solstice
editThe following tables contain information on the length of the day on 20 June 2016, close to the summer solstice of the Northern Hemisphere and winter solstice of the Southern Hemisphere. The data was collected from the website of the Finnish Meteorological Institute[15] as well as from certain other websites.[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]
The data is arranged geographically and within the tables from the longest day to the shortest one. Times that occur the next day (21 June) are marked with +.
| Fennoscandia and the Baltic states | |||
| City | Sunrise 20 June 2016 |
Sunset 20 June 2016 |
Length of the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | 24 h | |
| — | — | 24 h | |
| — | — | 24 h | |
| — | — | 24 h | |
| 1:00 | 0:05+ | 23 h 04 min | |
| 1:34 | 23:04 | 21 h 30 min | |
| 2:55 | 0:03+ | 21 h 08 min | |
| 3:02 | 23:37 | 20 h 35 min | |
| 3:36 | 23:21 | 19 h 45 min | |
| 2:55 | 22:33 | 19 h 38 min | |
| 3:54 | 22:49 | 18 h 55 min | |
| 3:35 | 22:25 | 18 h 50 min | |
| 3:53 | 22:43 | 18 h 49 min | |
| 4:03 | 22:42 | 18 h 39 min | |
| 3:30 | 22:07 | 18 h 37 min | |
| 4:29 | 22:21 | 17 h 52 min | |
| 4:25 | 21:57 | 17 h 32 min | |
| 4:41 | 21:59 | 17 h 17 min | |
| Europe | |||
| City | Sunrise 20 June 2016 |
Sunset 20 June 2016 |
Length of the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:26 | 22:02 | 17 h 36 min | |
| 3:44 | 21:17 | 17 h 33 min | |
| 4:43 | 21:33 | 16 h 49 min | |
| 4:14 | 21:00 | 16 h 46 min | |
| 4:43 | 21:21 | 16 h 38 min | |
| 4:46 | 21:12 | 16 h 26 min | |
| 5:46 | 21:57 | 16 h 10 min | |
| 4:53 | 20:58 | 16 h 04 min | |
| 4:46 | 20:44 | 15 h 58 min | |
| 5:29 | 21:25 | 15 h 56 min | |
| 5:34 | 20:48 | 15 h 13 min | |
| 6:44 | 21:48 | 15 h 03 min | |
| 6:11 | 21:04 | 14 h 52 min | |
| 6:02 | 20:50 | 14 h 48 min | |
| Africa | |||
| City | Sunrise 20 June 2016 |
Sunset 20 June 2016 |
Length of the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:54 | 18:59 | 14 h 04 min | |
| 7:08 | 21:05 | 13 h 57 min | |
| 6:41 | 19:41 | 12 h 59 min | |
| 6:07 | 18:46 | 12 h 38 min | |
| 6:32 | 18:35 | 12 h 02 min | |
| 6:04 | 17:56 | 11 h 52 min | |
| 6:32 | 18:16 | 11 h 43 min | |
| 6:20 | 17:56 | 11 h 36 min | |
| 6:49 | 17:59 | 11 h 10 min | |
| 6:21 | 17:21 | 10 h 59 min | |
| 6:30 | 17:15 | 10 h 44 min | |
| 6:54 | 17:24 | 10 h 29 min | |
| 7:51 | 17:44 | 9 h 53 min | |
| Middle East | |||
| City | Sunrise 20 June 2016 |
Sunset 20 June 2016 |
Length of the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5:48 | 20:23 | 14 h 34 min | |
| 5:27 | 19:52 | 14 h 24 min | |
| 4:53 | 19:14 | 14 h 21 min | |
| 5:33 | 19:47 | 14 h 13 min | |
| 4:45 | 18:32 | 13 h 46 min | |
| 4:44 | 18:26 | 13 h 42 min | |
| 5:29 | 19:11 | 13 h 42 min | |
| 5:04 | 18:44 | 13 h 39 min | |
| 5:19 | 18:55 | 13 h 35 min | |
| 5:33 | 18:35 | 13 h 02 min | |
| Americas | |||
| City | Sunrise 20 June 2016 |
Sunset 20 June 2016 |
Length of the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | 24 h | |
| 2:57 | 0:47+ | 21 h 49 min | |
| 2:53 | 0:03+ | 21 h 09 min | |
| 2:11 | 23:00 | 20 h 49 min | |
| 4:20 | 23:41 | 19 h 21 min | |
| 5:07 | 23:14 | 18 h 06 min | |
| 4:06 | 22:00 | 17 h 54 min | |
| 6:34 | 23:41 | 17 h 06 min | |
| 5:04 | 22:07 | 17 h 02 min | |
| 5:19 | 21:40 | 16 h 21 min | |
| 5:06 | 21:21 | 16 h 14 min | |
| 5:11 | 21:10 | 15 h 59 min | |
| 5:14 | 20:54 | 15 h 40 min | |
| 5:35 | 21:02 | 15 h 26 min | |
| 5:24 | 20:30 | 15 h 05 min | |
| 5:42 | 20:36 | 14 h 53 min | |
| 5:42 | 20:07 | 14 h 25 min | |
| 6:30 | 20:14 | 13 h 44 min | |
| 6:44 | 20:17 | 13 h 33 min | |
| 5:50 | 19:16 | 13 h 25 min | |
| 6:59 | 20:17 | 13 h 18 min | |
| 5:32 | 18:45 | 13 h 13 min | |
| 5:33 | 18:27 | 12 h 54 min | |
| 5:21 | 18:11 | 12 h 50 min | |
| 5:45 | 18:30 | 12 h 45 min | |
| 5:38 | 18:09 | 12 h 31 min | |
| 5:46 | 18:09 | 12 h 23 min | |
| 6:12 | 18:19 | 12 h 06 min | |
| 6:27 | 17:52 | 11 h 24 min | |
| 6:59 | 18:08 | 11 h 08 min | |
| 6:32 | 17:16 | 10 h 43 min | |
| 6:47 | 17:28 | 10 h 40 min | |
| 7:20 | 17:32 | 10 h 12 min | |
| 7:46 | 17:42 | 9 h 56 min | |
| 8:00 | 17:50 | 9 h 49 min | |
| 9:58 | 17:11 | 7 h 12 min | |
| Asia and Oceania | |||
| City | Sunrise 20 June 2016 |
Sunset 20 June 2016 |
Length of the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:52 | 22:16 | 21 h 23 min | |
| 3:37 | 22:19 | 18 h 41 min | |
| 4:58 | 21:55 | 16 h 56 min | |
| 4:57 | 21:04 | 16 h 07 min | |
| 5:52 | 21:54 | 16 h 01 min | |
| 5:32 | 20:55 | 15 h 22 min | |
| 4:45 | 19:46 | 15 h 00 min | |
| 5:11 | 19:56 | 14 h 46 min | |
| 4:25 | 19:00 | 14 h 34 min | |
| 4:50 | 19:01 | 14 h 10 min | |
| 6:55 | 20:58 | 14 h 03 min | |
| 5:23 | 19:21 | 13 h 58 min | |
| 5:08 | 19:02 | 13 h 53 min | |
| 5:04 | 18:46 | 13 h 41 min | |
| 5:39 | 19:09 | 13 h 30 min | |
| 5:27 | 18:27 | 12 h 59 min | |
| 5:51 | 18:47 | 12 h 56 min | |
| 7:00 | 19:12 | 12 h 11 min | |
| 6:01 | 17:47 | 11 h 45 min | |
| 7:06 | 18:29 | 11 h 23 min | |
| 6:27 | 17:32 | 11 h 04 min | |
| 6:59 | 16:53 | 9 h 53 min | |
| 7:33 | 17:11 | 9 h 37 min | |
| 7:35 | 17:07 | 9 h 32 min | |
| 8:19 | 16:59 | 8 h 39 min | |
The length of day increases from the equator towards the North Pole in the Northern Hemisphere in June (around the summer solstice there), but decreases towards the South Pole in the Southern Hemisphere at the time of the southern winter solstice.
Notes
edit- ^ Also aestival solstice in British English. From Latin aestīvus, 'summer'.
References
edit- ^ Astronomical Applications Department of USNO. "Earth's Seasons - Equinoxes, Solstices, Perihelion, and Aphelion". Retrieved 2022-08-01.
- ^ "Solstices and Equinoxes: 2001 to 2100". AstroPixels.com. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
- ^ Équinoxe de printemps entre 1583 et 2999
- ^ Solstice d’été de 1583 à 2999
- ^ Équinoxe d’automne de 1583 à 2999
- ^ Solstice d’hiver
- ^ a b "The Long Story (USNO explanation)". Archived from the original on 18 June 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
- ^ "US Naval Observatory: Sunrise and Sunset Times Near the Solstices". Archived from the original on 18 June 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
- ^ Papadopoulos, Costas; Moyes, Holley, eds. (2021). The Oxford Handbook of Light in Archaeology. Oxford University Press.
- ^ Kelley, David; Milone, Eugene (2005). Exploring Ancient Skies: An Encyclopedic Survey of Archaeoastronomy. Springer Publishing.
- ^ "Summer solstice celebrations of Christianity, Judaism, Neopaganism, etc". Religioustolerance.org. Archived from the original on 2011-06-28. Retrieved 2011-06-20.
- ^ O'Neill, William Matthew (1976). Time and the Calendars. Manchester University Press. p. 85.
- ^ Harper, Douglas. "midsummer". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
- ^ "The Astronomical vs. Meteorological Seasons". Archived from the original on 2016-11-14. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
- ^ "Paikallissää Helsinki" [Local weather in Helsinki] (in Finnish). Finnish Meteorological Institute. 2016-06-20. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
- ^ "Jamestown, Saint Helena". Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ "Fairbanks". Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ "Nuuk". Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ "Iqaluit". Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ "Sitka". Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ "Unalaska". Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ "Provideniya". Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ "Katmandu". Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ "Edmonton, Canada". Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ "Inuvik, Canada". Retrieved 2020-12-19.
- ^ "Winnipeg, Canada". Retrieved 2021-07-31.