The Summer Solstice

This Sunday is kind of a double-decker. It is Father’s Day witch is always the 3^rd Sunday in June. But this year, it is also the summer solstice. You might also know it as the beginning of summer. Each of the seasons starts with a special day – either a solstice or an equinox. Equinox means equal. It is the point where the length of daylight and night are equal. The vernal equinox is the start of spring. The autumnal equinox signals the start of fall or autumn. Solstices are the extremes. The winter solstice is the longest night of the year. The summer solstice, June 21st this year is the longest day. This is how the seasons go in the Northern Hemisphere, or north of the equator. If you go south of the equator, say to South America or Australia, then things would be reversed. Our summer is their winter and so on. In places close to the Arctic Circle the sun may never go down during summer. They say you can read a newspaper on a park bench at midnight without needing any light.

Many civilizations celebrated the summer solstice. It is believed that Stonehenge in England  was built to mark this event. On the summer solstice the Sun rises directly in the center of the stone circle.

Even though it is the longest day of the summer, it is not usually the hottest. It actually takes some time for the Northern Hemisphere to heat up. That’s why our hottest months are usually August and September. Actually here in California it has felt like summer for 3 or 4 weeks.

The summer solstice is caused by the tilt of the Earth. In the summer, the Earth tilts toward the Sun. This causes more direct sunlight to strike the Earth at a more direct angle. The Southern Hemisphere receive sunlight at a indirect angle, thus causing winter conditions. After the summer solstice, the day length gets slightly shorter every day until they become equal again at the autumnal equinox. 

Sunday, the Sun will rise early and set late. It will be the perfect time for a Father’s Day picnic in the park or a summer barbeque in the back yard. Either way, I hope you enjoy the first day of summer!