Folks throng Glastonbury Tor in Somerset, UK, through the summer season solstice
Graham Hunt/Alamy
As we speak, 21 June, is the June solstice. Often known as the summer season solstice within the northern hemisphere and winter solstice within the southern hemisphere, the June solstice marks the time at which the solar is straight above the Tropic of Most cancers.
That is the furthest north the solar reaches all year long, and it marks the northern hemisphere’s longest day of the 12 months, and the shortest within the southern hemisphere.
When is the June solstice 2023?
The solstice isn’t technically a day however a time. It often occurs on 21 or 22 June, and this 12 months it’s on 21 June at 15:57 BST.
What causes the June solstice?
Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted with respect to the airplane it orbits across the solar, by 23.5 levels. That is why we have now seasons – throughout summer season within the northern hemisphere, the north pole is tilted in the direction of the solar and through summer season within the southern hemisphere, the south pole is tilted in the direction of the solar.
The June solstice marks the second through the 12 months when the north pole reaches its most tilt in the direction of the solar.
There’s one other solstice in December, when the identical occurs for the southern hemisphere. The June solstice can also be the start of astronomical summer season within the northern hemisphere.
What’s astronomical summer season?
There are two methods to outline when the seasons start and finish – meteorological and astronomical. Within the northern hemisphere, meteorological summer season begins on 1 June however astronomical summer season begins on the day of the June solstice.
What number of hours of sunshine will I’ve on the solstice?
The variety of hours of daylight is dependent upon your latitude. On the June solstice, locations within the Arctic Circle have 24 hours of sunshine, whereas in tropical areas close to the equator the longest day is simply over 12 hours. The additional you might be from the equator, the extra dramatic the distinction in day size will get between winter and summer season. Within the Antarctic, the solar received’t rise.
The place does the identify come from?
The time period solstice comes from two Latin phrases: sol, which means “solar”, and sistere, which means “to face nonetheless”.
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