NEW DELHI: The summer solstice, which typically occurs around June 20-21 in the Northern Hemisphere, marks the longest day of the year and the official start of summer. Here are some intriguing astronomical facts about this event:
Axial tilt and solar position: The summer solstice happens because of the Earth’s axial tilt of about 23.5 degrees. During the solstice, the North Pole is tilted closest to the Sun, and the Sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer at latitude 23.5°N.
Longest daylight hours: On the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere experiences the most prolonged period of daylight. The exact duration of daylight varies depending on the latitude. For example, at the Arctic Circle, there is 24 hours of continuous daylight.
Solstitial points: The solstices (both summer and winter) mark the points where the Sun’s path in the sky reaches its northernmost or southernmost point. After the summer solstice, the Sun starts to move southward in the sky.
Historical significance: Many ancient cultures built monuments to align with the solstices. For example, Stonehenge in England and the pyramids of Egypt are aligned with the sunrise on the summer solstice.
Changing sunrise and sunset times: While the summer solstice has the longest day, it does not have the earliest sunrise or the latest sunset. These occur several days before and after the solstice due to the Earth’s elliptical orbit and axial tilt.
Equinox vs solstice: Unlike equinoxes, when day and night are approximately equal, solstices result in the maximum difference in daylight hours between summer and winter.
Cultural celebrations: The solstice has inspired festivals and rituals in various cultures, celebrating fertility, growth, and the peak of summer. Examples include Midsummer in Scandinavia and the Inti Raymi festival of the Incas.
Southern hemisphere: In the Southern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs around December 21-22, when the South Pole is tilted towards the Sun, marking the longest day there.
Axial tilt and solar position: The summer solstice happens because of the Earth’s axial tilt of about 23.5 degrees. During the solstice, the North Pole is tilted closest to the Sun, and the Sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer at latitude 23.5°N.
Longest daylight hours: On the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere experiences the most prolonged period of daylight. The exact duration of daylight varies depending on the latitude. For example, at the Arctic Circle, there is 24 hours of continuous daylight.
Solstitial points: The solstices (both summer and winter) mark the points where the Sun’s path in the sky reaches its northernmost or southernmost point. After the summer solstice, the Sun starts to move southward in the sky.
Historical significance: Many ancient cultures built monuments to align with the solstices. For example, Stonehenge in England and the pyramids of Egypt are aligned with the sunrise on the summer solstice.
Changing sunrise and sunset times: While the summer solstice has the longest day, it does not have the earliest sunrise or the latest sunset. These occur several days before and after the solstice due to the Earth’s elliptical orbit and axial tilt.
Equinox vs solstice: Unlike equinoxes, when day and night are approximately equal, solstices result in the maximum difference in daylight hours between summer and winter.
Cultural celebrations: The solstice has inspired festivals and rituals in various cultures, celebrating fertility, growth, and the peak of summer. Examples include Midsummer in Scandinavia and the Inti Raymi festival of the Incas.
Southern hemisphere: In the Southern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs around December 21-22, when the South Pole is tilted towards the Sun, marking the longest day there.
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