Did you think the rotation of earth and planets have effect only on your horoscopes? Well, don’t know about that but one thing is sure that the rotation of earth which is responsible for day and night sure makes a difference. Why else would you have solstices and equinoxes?
We all know that each day is 24 hours long divided equally between day and night. So, we have 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night. But there are days when one is longer than the other. Summer solstice is when we have the day longer than night and it happens to be on June 21 every year.
Things To Know About The Summer Solstice
What Is The Summer Solstice?
Solstice is the phenomenon when the sun is at its highest or lowest point in the sky, changing the duration of days and night. Summer Solstice is that time of the year when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer giving us more daylight, and hence the longest day of the year.
Why Do We Have Summer Solstice?
Well, mainly because of the rotation of earth. While earth revolves around the sin, it also rotates on its own axis. When it is tilted at a certain degree away or towards the sun, it causes a shift in the duration of the day and night.
When Does Summer Solstice Occur?
This is the day we get the most exposure to sunlight. So, it occurs when the earth is tilted towards the sun on its maximum axis i.e. 23.4 degrees. At this angle, the North pole is tilted towards the sun resulting in the summer solstice. Likewise, when it is tilted away from the sun, we observe winter solstice.
Ideally, it happens every year, on June 21st, however, dates may vary from June 20-22 depending upon your local time zone. If you are living in Washington DC, you will be observing the summer solstice on June 22nd. So, sleep in all you want.
How Long Is The Day During Summer Solstice?
That depends where you live. Since the North Pole is exposed towards the sun, the sun never sets on the Arctic Circle. The day is somewhat between 13 hours to even 24 hours in some places. It totally depends how far you are living from the north pole.
What’s The Dealio With Solstice & Stonehenge?
Well, the entire mystery of why our ancestors built Stonehenge may not be solved yet, but scientists believe it could be to keep track of solstices and equinoxes. If you want to observe the solstice this year, you should book a flight to England, get to Wiltshire, and see for yourself how pretty the solstice looks through the arrangement of the stones. When the sun rises behind the Heel Stone, it is purely magical. Many people gather at Stonehenge on June 21st to observe this beautiful sighting.
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